The wind and a judge are against the January 1 implementation of Medicare (dis)Advantage Plus that the UFT has continuously touted and voted in favor of on the Municipal Labor Committee. Mulgrew said retirees would love his privatized Mulgrewcare. Apparantly, Mulgrew has changed his mind and now wants his Mulgrewcare for Medicare eligible retirees delayed. Mulgrew and Tom Murphy's latest email to retirees:
Dear James,
Due to the ongoing litigation, the UFT strongly voiced its opinion that the New York City Medicare Advantage Plus Plan should not take effect until an orderly transition and continuity of services for retirees can be guaranteed. We have now been notified that the new plan likely will not take effect on Jan. 1, as originally planned. All Medicare-eligible municipal retirees will remain in their current health plans for the time being. No rate increases will go into effect for GHI Senior Care until the New York City Medicare Advantage Plus Plan takes effect, but the new GHI Senior Care doctor co-pay of $15, which is not associated with the new plan, will go into effect on Jan. 1 (it was postponed from July 1). All supplemental health care coverage will also remain unchanged.
The opt-out period continues. During this period, retirees may opt out of the new plan or opt back into it. We will let you know as soon as a deadline for making a final decision has been set. In addition, the union has pressed for — and obtained — assurance that retirees will further be able to opt in or out of the NYC Medicare Advantage Plus Plan during the first part of 2022 after the new plan is in operation.
The two sides will meet again before the judge on Dec. 8. We will alert you as soon as we have an update.
Sincerely,
Michael Mulgrew, UFT President
Tom Murphy, RTC Chapter Leader
This does not mean anything. Mulgrew is still in favor of it as long as "the transition" is done better. He is not against the new plan at all. Retiree's MUST vote him out. (Same for the rank and file)
ReplyDeleteYou do realize that this retraction was done only because Mulgrew is soiling his pants about the possibility of losing in the next UFT election. He needs every retiree vote, and he is retracting his decision until after the election. After the election, should Mulgrew remain as UFT president, he will sell out the retirees again with the Medicare (Dis)Advantage plan.
ReplyDeleteCall it Mulgrewcare.
Unity has always relied on the retiree vote. I have yet to speak with a retiree or those real close to retiring who isn’t mad as hell and out for revenge if their healthcare is messed with. I’m a couple of years away from 65. I’m mad as hell also. Health coverage and costs are a number one priority for retirees. All we ever heard from uft is how great our retiree benefits are. Mulgrew is a fool if he thinks retirees won’t get our revenge using a ballot. And that’s just those of us paying attention. Once this shitty plan goes into effect, those not paying attention will have the reality of bad care slapping them in the face and they too will be mad as hell. Your days are numbered Mulgrew.
ReplyDeleteI would love nothing more than to see the vast majority of retirees vote Mulgrew's ass out of office. Spread the word!
ReplyDeleteJust wait till Mulgrew and his MLC Cartel start screwing up healthcare for the in-service members. Negotiations over healthcare with the city with a new Mayor are scheduled for early 2022–just ahead of UFT contract that expires September 2022. A good possibility of extremely poor wage increases or even freezes in exchange for maintaining current healthcare costs. And that could be the case for all city unions.
ReplyDeleteAlso curious to hear what the spins of Mulgrew and Murphy are —at the next retiree webinar meeting on December 14. I believe there are many more retirees that have opted up than Mulgrew thought. Anxious retirees are willing to pay an additional $2000 a year more to keep their current coverage despite Mulgrew’s claim that that Med Care Plus coverage is the best thing on the planet. There is just a simple lack of trust and they don’t believe a word that comes out of Mulgrew’s mouth-and that resulted in RTC President Murphy losing over 20 points compared in his victorious Spring 2021 retiree election-compared to 2019.
We don’t need a union if they allow the city to chip away at our benefits. It’s that simple for me.
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Three years ago, when I still was on ghi-ppo, I fell and broke both wrists requiring surgery. I was unable to get proper casts or OT/hand therapy for lack of coverage. I asked GHI how?: The city didn't want to pay for it." I never recovered.
ReplyDeleteI should trust these guys?
AnaLoggana@gmail.com
If it costs $2000 each year for each retiree to opt back into their current Medicare plans,
ReplyDeletethen the city is saving $2000 each year from the pocket of each retiree. There is no mystery here. Benefits will be denied to retirees; the quality of service must be reduced.
Otherwise, how can the city save money. Why would Mulgrew agree to such a catastrophe for UFT
reitrees? HE DOES NOT REPRESENT UFT ACTIVE MEMBERS OR RETIREES. Mulgrew works for the mayor.
As far as I am concerned, Mulgrew's hide is already nailed to the barn door. I have loathed him for as long as his miserable weasel a@@ has been in office. He has looked out for every concern except for his dues-paying members, who had to pay well over a grand a year to be thrown under the bus over and over again. I am going to opt out of his miserable snake oil Medicare Advantage plan, even if it costs me $191/month. The MINUTE I heard of their scheme to screw the retirees, disguised as a "really great all-inclusive healthcare plan", I smelled a rat. And it wasn't Pizza Rat; it was Mulgrew and his all-too-entrenched corrupt bum cronies.
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