NYC RETIREES ORGANIZATION SUES CITY OVER ILLEGAL COPAYS RECENTLY ADDED TO GHI SENIOR CARE

This came in my email box this morning. Marianne's group is in court again challenging copays on GHI Senior Care. While the UFT is looking to impose more cost savings (givebacks) on retirees and active people, this group is fighting back.

Dear Employees & Retirees,   Last week, the Appellate Court, First Department found for the retirees, like we thought!   We said all along, we were going to win this case because the law is on our side, and we being retirees were very familiar with the statute and collective bargaining.   The Court unanimously agreed with the Supreme Court, that the City must pay the full cost of healthcare up to the HIP HMO rate for EVERY EMPLOYEE, RETIREE and their dependents. We are retired City union labor.   Many of us lobbied these laws, worked in offices where these laws were used over the decades.  We know they protect active and retired labor EQUALLY.  And have for over 55 years.   Its not an "antiquated" or "outdated law."   And this retirees group that fought the City and MLC in this case, did what true labor does; organized, rallied, stood in solidarity, got out the word, hired good lawyers, won the support of some of our former unions, rallied, protested, and we won...every. step. of. the. way.   The UFT & DC37 has been distributing emails to active or in-service workers and their retirees telling them to call City Council and demand they change the Code.  They don't want you to know you are demanding your own diminishment of healthcare!   To the in service employees, have you researched the history of Administrative Code 12-126?  Do you  know why it exists and the protections it offers?  Do you know if those protections exists anywhere else and why?  Have you read either Court decision?  Do you know the difference between Traditional Medicare and a managed Medicare advantage plan?  If not, stop!  And learn before you follow your peers "off a bridge" selling off your current and future health benefits.  And tomorrow, thank a retiree for saving your benefits! The fact is, the Municipal Labor Committee negotiated a bad deal and got themselves in a hole.  And they sold off retirees to pay their debt. You will be retired. Are you okay with having your retiree benefit sold off?  We warned you all last year if this deal was permitted to go through, they were coming after you (active in-service workers) next.    You didn't listen.   And today, they are threatening you with premiums and loss of plans and still blaming the retirees litigation to protect what is rightfully theirs and earned pitting employees against retirees.    WE ARE UNION!   WE ARE LABOR!  WE ARE RETIREES!   And we will continue to fight to protect ourselves, and you, if we must!  We know the laws we are protected by.   Get on board, before the MLC takes your health plan, and narrows the networks for providers you can see, and imposes so many co pays and prior authorizations, you will think you are in an HMO plan in 1980.   Every time they agree to a $30 co pay, or you can only use a certain urgent care, or a certain radiology or a certain "network" or prevent you from going to a specific hospital, or requires approval for just about every test of procedure you physician wants, that is a GIVE BACK.  They are limiting your access to your own healthcare.   TODAY, Thank a retiree, because they just saved you.   Now let's hope the MLC chooses to get on the right side of the law and protect us all like they used to!  COURT DECISION   BREAKING NEWS And because we like a good ONE - TWO Punch....  Tonight we filed another lawsuit against the City over the GHI Senior Care Copays and violating the Judge's order.    Read/follow that here!    *************************************************************** Yours in TRUE Solidarity,  The NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees