Thursday, June 16, 2022

CITY LOOKING TO PUSH ALL CITY WORKERS AND RETIREES INTO CHEAPER HEALTH PLAN

This is from New York Focus:

New York City is seeking to replace the main health insurance plan that it provides to its employees with a new, lower-cost option, documents obtained by New York Focus reveal. The shift is currently only a possibility under consideration, but if it goes through, roughly 750,000 employees, retirees and dependents will have their current insurance switched to an as-yet undetermined plan.

One goal of the potential replacement is to cut costs “by at least 10%” without compromising the quality of care or forcing city workers to pay more out of pocket, the documents say.

The plan that currently covers most city employees and their dependents, GHI Emblem Health, began covering municipal workers under the administration of Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia in the 1940s.

On Thursday, the city’s Office of Labor Relations will begin accepting submissions from health insurance companies outlining plans to replace GHI EmblemHealth. The “target effective date” of a new plan is Jan. 1, 2024.

The Municipal Labor Committee, a group representing most of the city’s local government unions, is supporting the move. In an email to union leaders reviewed by New York Focus, Ellen Medwid, executive secretary of the Municipal Labor Committee, said that the city’s request for information from insurance companies “will allow both the MLC and the City to become better educated as to possibilities to ensure quality care at a hopefully reduced cost.”

We should all be concerned.


44 comments:

Anonymous said...

Think this is bad?
Try attending a Retired Teacher Chapter zoom meeting.
What did they discuss?
Blue wave and support the DNC.
Mind... blown away.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for keeping us informed on this.

Anonymous said...

The Municipal Labor Committee is anti-labor. Who in their right mind would want to sign up as a NYC teacher, cop etc., going forward...worst benefits ever, harsh working conditions.

Anonymous said...

How interesting that this new is NOT coming from the mouth of Mulgrew. He is as silent as ever as he prepares to hash out the worst new contract since 2005. Be afraid, be very, very, afraid. From the love of God, there was a negotiation meeting yesterday. Wonder if he let those 400 fools know what is what in regard to this. More than likely, he is going to try and "sell" this bullshit to the rank and file.

Anonymous said...

2:53 Of course they did. The UFT works for the democrat party. Teachers reward the betrayals by voting again for democrats. They laugh. We cry.

Anonymous said...

My principal said we don't have money for paper next year, on top of having to excess sixteen teachers. SIXTEEN.

Anonymous said...

Some teachers deserve the crap they are being served. Liberalism is definitely a mental distort

Anonymous said...

I'm looking for a reliable source to fact check this article.
What do you suggest James...media matters, CNN or Nina Jankowitz?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

The MLC is being very dishonest. They are counting on the passivity and lack of organization of its members and retirees to pull a dirty trick on them.

The only way to save money is to give an inferior retiree medical plan.
The trickery is to make it look better than it really is. They will hide the "back end" treachery of pre-authorization and benefit denials to older sicker retirees. Some of them will become very sick or die before being approved for their procedures or care.

The MLC is negligent and dangerous as they attempt to ruin your retirement health benefits through their deceit and negligence.







James Eterno said...

"Media Bias-Fact Check. Here is what they say about NY Focus:
Overall, we rate The New Yorker Left Biased based on story selection and editorial position that favors the left and High for factual reporting due to proper sourcing and a clean fact check record."

Anonymous said...

Teachers wrap your minds around the following simple obvious statements:

1) The administration at your school are not your friends.
The principal and assistant principals are NOT your friends.

2) The MLC and UFT and not your friends. They are out to harm you financially and they are loyal to the NY city's mayoral office and department of finance. DO NOT TRUST the MLC. The MLC is not your friend.

Anonymous said...

And what is the current status with city’s lawsuit dealing with the retiree current healthcare coverage and the judge’s decision to let city retirees keep their current Medicare with no monthly $191 add on premium—that was supposed to start this past January 1?

Anonymous said...

Just make sure we keep passing all of the kids that do no work, do not attend, and cannot meet the standards.

Anonymous said...

I am truly puzzled by the people who still claim they want to vote for democrats. Education staff members traditionally are known that they bleed blue however what will it take for change in America and NYC?

Are people really that ignorant where they simply just allow their brain which has been washed out blue to continue punishing themselves and others? Biden and the radical dems are tearing our country apart and some of his news clips are amazing - latest one where he told widow how sorry he was that her spouse dropped dead.

James Eterno said...

Corporate Democrats may be terrible but Republicans are worse. Our choice between two parties who both want to fundamentally make our conditions worse is not pleasant. It is truly lesser of the evils.

The comments section here for one or two of you is turning into a political discussion that is not persuading anyone. Let's stick with the topic of our health benefits please. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Contract meeting was on Wednesday. Any word? Bueller...Bueller...Bueller

Anonymous said...

Are our current health benefits good? It’s sometimes very hard to find a specialist that takes our insurance. How much worse would they make it? Everyone on Hip? Referrals for all?

Anonymous said...

Your funny James. You tell us to stick to the current topic and stop the political opinions right after you give your political opinion. Now that’s funny
Thank you for my daily laugh

Anonymous said...

So the lesser of 2 evils —the Dem politicians/MLC/ Mulgrew are willing to okay a possible cheaper healthcare package—while the Republicans would possibly eliminate essential coverage or make it much more costly.
In the Mulgrew/MLC case—the union leaders have all really been disingenuous with the retirees—talking out of both of sides of their mouths—really not discussing all the pitfalls of the cheaper Medicare Advantage Plus. In what world can something cheaper get you something better. The smaller unions went to court to challenge the friendly led Democratic led city— and came out with a temporary victory for all retirees .—but with friends like these, who needs enemies. Extremely frustrating.

Anonymous said...

@9:24 how to tell everyone to stop being political as I'm being political.
This message has been fact checked.

James Eterno said...

Mine was a response but I see your point 10:06.

Anonymous said...

Our health coverage is political. Only when the democrats see us as a threat to their NY elections will they take our health coverage as seriously as we do. And that means voting Republican. When they see teachers willing to revolt, we’ll be taken seriously. Progressive democrats had the chance to put Medicare For All to a vote but it required them to buck the corporate democrats as James calls them. Progressives like AOC refused to buck the democrat establishment. Don’t tell me republicans are worse. Tell democrats you’ll vote Republican if they fuck us in health coverage. Or tell them no matter what they do to you you’ll keep voting for them and watch them fuck you again and again. Our vote is our only leverage.

Anonymous said...

Republicanscdon't want us to have healthcare.

Anonymous said...

It appears that one of major fringe benefits of city workers is being watered down—and Mulgrew and the MLC have given into the city and their plans for weakened city/healthcare coverage—which started with that the 2018 agreement—and has so far led to Medicare Advantage for retirees. City employees have always rationalized receiving lower wages—as a trade off for excellent and reliable medical coverage for themselves and family members.
Mulgrew should come out and just say to all active members and retirees—-
‘If you want the exact coverage you currently have—just be prepared to dish out an additional $2000-$4000 a year.

Anonymous said...

Lazy voters create a weak ineffective union leadership.

The UFT and MLC supports this big giveback.

Anonymous said...

VOTE FOR REPUBLICANS. END THE FAKE POLITICAL TRICKS OF DEMOCRATS!

Anonymous said...

this whole health care thing while it is important in a certain sense is no substitute for passing the New York health act which will ensure everyone equally

Anonymous said...

No james maybe in the 90's and early 2000's. Right Now corporate dems are the worst and it's not even close. Do you see the damage our country , city, world is in with dems? Economy, safety, we know you love lockdowns and mandates. This is worse than the 70's and all your dems are in office. Education is absolute sham and it's been dems running the show. Please spare us the bullshit that republicans are worse, sound as dumb as your blog has looked the last 3 years. Turned woke and to shit, just lucky Chaz is not here bc the traffic would be there and barely here.

Anonymous said...

James you must love inflation and covid lockdowns and covering your face with a diaper. Democrats caused covid and the economy to be destroyed stop your lunacy

Anonymous said...

If teachers vote Republican the democrats will have to win our vote back. How? By giving us the health coverage we want. Leverage works.

James Eterno said...

We have not changed perspective the last three years and I miss Chaz too, 7:21. We used to talk regularly and bounce ideas off each other. Chaz passing was a big loss.

waitingforsupport said...

Turned woke?! Lmho.

Jeff said...

https://nypost.com/2022/06/18/bryant-hs-teachers-say-they-must-pass-all-students/

Anonymous said...

Gas is more expensive than ever. But instead of working to reduce prices, Dems are pursuing far-left policies that will only cause Americans more pain at the pump. Check out what John Kerry, who serves as Biden's Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, said just last week

Today, Biden’s Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry said “we absolutely don’t” need increased drilling.

Average gas prices have now topped $5 nationwide.

The Biden admin would rather double down on their war on American energy than reduce prices for Americans.

Anonymous said...

1:55. So Big BadTrump kept the greedy oil companies at bay? Or did the oil companies use to be generous and for some reason decided to get greedy when Biden came along? You’re the gullible fool. Biden’s policies are creating the mess we are in.

Anonymous said...

I have a rocking new music song for your music band to sing!

Joe Biden can ride a bike
This is one of his great powers
The other one
Is daddy/daughter showers
Nothing weird going on there
It just shows that he cares
He is a good biker
Plus a good father too
Not a pervert!

Anonymous said...

The pandemic gave the oil companies the excuse. They are going with it and can't believe we tolerate it. In Britain, they put in a windfall profits tax to curb some of the madness. No chance on that happening here cause you morons will just blame Biden. Oil companies are wonderful.

James D said...

Yeah 305,

Have people heard about Biden’s daughter saying he showered with her? Weird. The problems in that family are pretty extreme. Drugs. Halfway houses. Brothers sharing a wife. Dug abuse. Political payoffs. Sounds like a good social studies discussion next year.

Anonymous said...

21 of the 26 states with the lowest unemployment rates are led by Republican governors.

Anonymous said...

Ronald Klain
@WHCOS
US about to become the first country on earth to give mRNA vaccines to its youngest children. The first.

Thanks for the warning. Not interested.

Anonymous said...

Not true at all.

Anonymous said...

Stop putting democrats and Republicans against each other. People wake up and open your eyes. Democrats have sold us down the river and while we may not agree with everything Republicans have to offer if we don't revolt pretty soon we will all be on Medicare for all and have garbage coverage. We need to do something drastic to change it.

Anonymous said...

7:19 what kind of revolt do you have in mind? Are you planning on staging another coup?