Sunday, May 02, 2021

LETTER TO MULGREW-MURPHY ON MEDICARE PRIVATIZATION

In my inbox is a letter to Mulgrew-Murphy that expresses retiree frustration over a possible switch for retired city employees from Medicare to a private Medicare Advantage plan.

Here is the link to register for the Retiree Advocate webinar this evening at 7:00 P.M. that will discuss this issue. My understanding is 200 people have registered.  

Shameless plug: I will be one of the panelists this evening. I will be speaking on how Mulgrew's town halls operate ahead of the Tuesday Mulgrew town hall with the retirees.


After stewing in my anger, fear and frustration over this sellout I needed to put my thoughts on paper.  Here is the copy of my letter to Tom Murphy and Michael Mulgrew.


It’s mind boggling to think that as a growing majority of Americans, on both sides of the political divide, support a national single payer healthcare system the UFT is taking a giant step backward (behind closed doors) and dropping the Medicare Traditional program offered to UFT Retirees and changing it to Medicare Advantage, a private, for profit, medicare [sic] like program.  

Honestly, the UFT is following in the foot steps of the Trump Administration by its privatization of the UFT Retirees medicare program.  This private, for profit program will need to make a profit, unlike government run Medicare Traditional and thus cannot give us the same services at the same cost.  We don’t need smoke and mirrors.  Just do the math.

A few well documented and researched facts. (1) The US ranks 11 among the top10 Industrial Western Countries in quality and delivery in healthcare services.  (2) The top 10 countries all have a universal health care system.  The systems are less costly and provide better health care for all of its citizens.  (3) Private health insurance companies stand between doctors and patients.  Decisions are made based on a business model formula of patient healthcare needs that yield a profit for the company.  Do the math, otherwise they wouldn’t be in business.

UFT THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX! 
 
“The MLC is tasked with finding cost savings for the city to the tune of $1.1 billion during the current negotiation period (2018-2021) —including $600 Million in fiscal year 2021.”

It’s not OK for senior citizens living on a fixed income to bear the onus, look else where to fill the gap.  

UFT MAKE DEMANDS OUTSIDE THE BOX!  

For example, demand that the city end all the sweetheart tax free and tax abatement programs and other lucrative incentives given to both domestic and foreign investors.  That money would be more than enough to bridge the savings the MLC has been tasked with. You just have to scratch the surface.  Seek and you shall find, as the expression goes.  



THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.

Retirees  live on a fixed income while the big corporations, investors and CEOs pay nothing or a pittance in City taxes. Why are the most vulnerable being ordered to fix the financial gap?

It is not OK for retirees to bear the brunt, carry the burden of bridging the gap because the City says it can’t afford to pay for the Retirees government run Medicare Traditional program. 

It’s not OK to privatize the retiree medicare program that will provide less flexibility, reduced services and cost more. 

It’s not OK for the UFT to use the theatrics of smoke and mirrors to tell us we are getting the same and or better deal in a private, for profit  medicare [sic] like plan.  Health insurance companies are in the business to make a profit.  Profit is the driving force and not healthcare.  Using the business model you cut corners on healthcare but not reduce profits.  And don’t throw tele-doctoring in our face! Anything to make a buck for the health insurance industry. 

THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX!

We need a national healthcare system.  Rather than moving towards that end you are beefing up the Trump era model of privatizing government services. SHAME ON YOU.

UFT YOU SHOULD AND CAN DO BETTER!

Healthcare is a human right and not fodder for corporate greed! 
 

A Very Disappointed  UFT Retiree,

Denise Rickles

39 comments:

  1. When did the uft have the right to take away my freedom of choice? Since i can't vote on this health choice matter, i will vote on another matter: The removal of Mulgrew and everyone on his team.

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  2. All those dues and they give me this shit service. I advised my children to opt out afterthis betrayal.

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  3. Let’s add these three UFT resolutions to the letter to remind Mulgrew and Company that officially they are opposed to the privatization of Medicare. Seems this doesn’t hold for your own retirees health insurance, Mulgrew.


    https://www.uft.org/chapters/retired-teachers/retired-teacher-chapter-resolutions/stop-privatization-medicare

    https://www.uft.org/chapters/retired-teachers/retired-teacher-chapter-resolutions/preserve-medicare-we-know-it

    https://www.uft.org/chapters/retired-teachers/retired-teacher-chapter-resolutions/opposition-further-privatization-medicare-part-b-premium-support-demonstration-districts

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  4. They just said in the meeting that this happened because the 2018 contract was missing info and we agreed to this without knowing what was in the contract. Nice job. So you schmucks who pay dues and vote for Mulgrew and vote yes made this happen. Proud?

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  5. James, you just said we were hoodwinked, as usual. Sad!

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  6. This letter is freedom Denise Rickles.

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  7. It’s going to come to the point where people are going to say I need to stay in the UFT to exact some revenge. I haven’t paid dues in two years and there is no way that I would have agreed to anything that the Uft has been doing. I’m locked into their mistakes even though I am no longer a member. Those who are really angry may drop out and the UFT won’t mind in the least. Then they just don’t have to deal with those angry complaints. This is what they want. They’ll put their energy into temp tier 6 workers who won’t have pensions or healthcare choices. There has to be a revolt, otherwise everything will unravel. Unfortunately, you can’t revolt if you’re not a member. I’m rejoining. If a lot of retirees stay angry and want to vote out unity and Mulgrew, look for him to pull retirees voting rights. This is what they do - they change the rules to get what they want. Retirees will not allow this to go unanswered. That he’s going ahead with it, shows he feels he’s omnipotent and has no worries. He’s openly screwing with the most powerful faction of the UFT and he doesn’t care.
    I warned everyone not to agree to the 2018 contract with undisclosed healthcare savings. That said, there has to be some type of reasonable consensus. This is not reasonable. He has to openly get this consensus. If he doesn’t, it completely delegitimizes his position as a union president, and the UFT as a union. It will be the final nail in the coffin for all of us. Thousands of people will opt out and it will accelerate the completely unresponsiveness stance toward all constituencies, other than new hires .

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  8. With the retirees getting pissed off, Mulgrew is finally in some deep shit. I would love nothing more than to see him voted out in the next election and be forced back to to teaching in a NYC school. He would then be totally ignored by his colleagues in the same manner that he ignored us.

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  9. It appears that Denise Rickles—is a disciple of Bernie Sanders.

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  10. Time to admit we were all suckered again, as usual. If you pay dues, you are a damn fool. But now do your "it's better than nothing" speech. Idiots.

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  11. Nobody is losing, Unity's going to win because the other options won't join and negotiate to have a slate that can win.

    Division, divide and conquer is what the UFT and DOE has done all though history. The latest examples are remote vs in person and Tier 6.

    If people vote against Unity by picking one of an assortment of options, you have no chance. Though our nation isn't exactly a benefactor, we must admit this situation calls for a two party approach.

    Let's divide and conquer the union back. Make some positive changes, then fight over the details.

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    1. You are entirely right. We don’t deserve better than Unity because all the other caucuses can’t get their acts together. There are such selfish motives and unless that changes Mulgrew and Unity aren’t going anywhere.

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  12. Can retirees drop union membership without losing any benefits?

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  13. 9:28. I’m waiting to see where I land in all of this. If I have to pay for private insurance instead of the shitty UFT plan that is to come, then no sense staying in the UFT. Losing shitty medical coverage is not a threat to dropping out. Losing good medical coverage is.

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  14. Somehow the UFT leadership has not kept its membership informed re, presumably, ERI negotiations with the city. Guess we all just sit around, unable to plan our futures. Par for the course.

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  15. Another complaint to the list.

    Destroyed medical for retirees, in service members soon, I'm sure.

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  16. Just curious, did arbitration open yet?

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  17. I guess James would rather be in an abusive relationship instead of no relationship at all. once again the only way to get rid of unity is to hold our dues. it would be like a strike against our union. James was all for striking against our city government but not our union. what's the difference?
    most strikes are temporary until the employees needs/wants/ or desires are met. A strike is only used to send a message to government or a business. A temporary strike by withholding dues for a temporary time period might just get our idiot president, no not Biden but Mulgrew to get his shit together and do what he is elected to do.

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  18. 10:33
    I feel the same way as you.
    I have a few options to weigh in the near future and the Uft and doe are stalling my forward motion. No updates or hints regarding the ERI.

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  19. Drop out after the next vote if Mulgrew and Unity aren’t ousted. Otherwise you’re doing what they want. Retirees lose nothing by dropping out but be aware we’re still stuck with whatever the UFT agrees or doesn’t agree to.

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  20. Spring break pay?
    Calendar?
    Open market?
    Retro?
    Summer school application?
    Healthcare?
    17% in raises over 11 years?
    When will you learn?

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  21. Comptroller Stringer said the 92 welfare and annuity funds spent $113 million in 2018 on administrative costs. Time to combine annuity and welfare funds to save costs for retirees and the city.

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  22. Does Tom Murphy go along with whatever Mulgrew decrees—or is time for Murphy to retire as the President of the Retiree Chapter?

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  23. David Suker. Any caucus that doesn’t just stick with the needs of rank and file active teachers and retiree benefits and concerns itself with sjw issues is doomed to fail. In my school we might have 5 out of 100 UFT members who are sjws. The rest of us want no part of it and will stick with Unity if MORE is the other option. Unity keeps the sjws like Hinds on a leash. Like AOC’s squad, she can run her mouth and tweet away but the establishment won’t let her stray beyond the perimeter of their leash. Unfortunately Solidarity can’t gain ground because MORE is in the way. So in short, Iagree with you. Unity’s not going anywhere any time soon. Fucking the retirees on healthcare, however, might just do them in.

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  24. The only way to beat the Unity Machine is if Solidarity, MORE, and ICE form a new caucus together with viable candidates. The retirees will probably vote for anyone other than Mulgrew next year. A win over Unity is possible!

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    1. That is a great idea. Will the caucuses agree to it?
      What is Mulgrew's payoff for this POS since UFT and DC 37 appear to be the only unions supporting it? Where is NYPD?

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  25. 1pm wow. My camp (I won't call it a school anymore) has 90+% sjws. We endoctrinate victims (I won't call them students anymore) into a victim narrative; they can't read, write or add but they're still gonna smash the system in their struggle for justice. Some crap like that. They make posters too where they're able to practice coloring.

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  26. **I hope the well deserved retiree backlash doesn't lose us our ERI offer.
    This bait and "pitch" to switch healthcare thing really is mean, and sad that members
    never get any input regarding decisions.
    Next, will be a done deal, the old line "we had to save jobs or preserve benefits for others or quid pro quo for De Blasio to offer ERI"
    Funny, I remember we had to give something toward our raises last contract to give teachers after us paid Parental Leave (our money!), is what we do, help each other.
    Our Retiree's will be told the same old, they will be played by the old school tactics, one for all and all for one spirit.

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  27. When we all retire, the health care we leave with will likely be a pine box and a spot in a cemetery.

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  28. 4:11 no, a cremation urn.

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  29. I already have a plot.can I get the money back now?
    Seriously, if muldoo has a cushy sports lined up in exchange for trashing us, we will be blamed if we ate dismantles.maybe he is paid off for us to get disgusted and disappear.then we are really toast.

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  30. James, someone from uft told me that the only change will be a sight increase in copays. Is this true?

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  31. While employing variations of concession bargaining the teacher unions with a few exceptions (CTU, for example, until the recent capitulation), have followed the AFT leadership in negotiating away total wages (salaries and health care and pensions) and worker rights while **increasing** union membership.

    So, when James says to show him a union that lost membership and the dues they pay and got stronger and then sits back and listens to the crickets, what he is actually saying is, keep paying dues and work to reform the union, even though the union, that is increasing membership and dues, is using the enlarged membership and dues to concession bargain members into lower total wages and weaker worker rights.


    What can we do?

    Nothing. We can blog, and blah blah and write letters and so on but the union is bigger, and growing, and, from the union's point of view, bigger is better and it get bigger as it bargains concession after concession after concession.







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    1. We can organize and oust Unity Shelley. Easier said than done but I haven't given up the fight.

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  32. I don't have the answer to that Erin.

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  33. I’m a retiree. Prescription drugs have already gone up markedly. Also I pay $30 co-pay now. The last ENT office I went to told me I’m covered and took the $30 co-pay and then sent me a bill for $710 - to remove wax from my ears and look at my nose. Great doctor, Jeffery Jablon, New Rochelle - but no one in office from billing will return my calls and GHI says they only pay $15 for the services he provides and I’m responsible for the rest. Every doctor is now telling me I have to call GHI and get an approval with the name of the person I spoke to or they won’t see me. They said they have been stiffed many times and some of my doctors refuse to see NYC GHI patients at all. This is already a problem and the UFT is planning on making it much worse.

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  34. Over the course of my long career with the NYC Department of Education I paid TAXES. I paid MEDICARE TAXES and I paid SOCIAL SECURITY TAXES. Who dat say Michael Mulgrew and Tom Murphy can sell-out MY hard earned Medicare Rights? Sell out your own UFT and DC 37 Unions but leave me alone! Get loud NYPD! Get loud Firefighters! Get loud CSA! Get Loud CUNY! Get loud Uniformed Sanitation! AFL-CIO fight for us!

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