October 27, 2024
Last Wednesday a bill was introduced in the City Council to protect the healthcare coverage of current and future NYC public service retirees. Despite having won in court ten times over three and a half years, the retirees are still fighting City Hall’s attempt to migrate roughly a quarter million retirees into the for-profit Medicare Advantage Plan operated by insurance giant Aetna. The retirees object to the narrow networks of providers, lack of portability, onerous pre-approval mandates and claim denials that characterize Medicare Advantage plans and to the City’s attempt to renege on promises made to them. The bill ‘would amend the Administrative Code to preserve health care choice for retirees from city service. The bill provides that the City must offer Medicare-eligible City retirees and their Medicare-eligible dependents at least one Medigap plan with benefits equivalent to or better than those available to City retirees and their dependents as of December 31, 2021.’
Dr. Donald Moore
Speaking to several dozen retirees rallying in City Hall Park on Wednesday, Dr. Donald Moore, Board Member of Physicians for a National Health Program said that retirees have the law and courts on their side but power brokers keep trying to swap out traditional Medicare for inferior Medicare Advantage plans. He joked that his young looking face might fool them but he was on Medicare himself, and he held up his insurance card to prove it.
(L-R) Marte, Holden.
The Council Bill Int 1096 was introduced by Council Members Christopher Marte and Robert Holden, who have been supporting the retirees all along. If passsed the law would become effective immediately, and retroactive to December 31, 2021. Marte said that he wants to make sure that a promise made (to Municipal employees by the City) is a promise kept. “This is a moral, not only a legal, fight,” he added. Following the rally, Marte headed for City Hall to introduce the measure. Hogan, who retired from CUNY, is himself subject to the Medicare Advantage switch. He encouraged the retirees to continue the fight and singled out New York City Organization of Public Service Retirees leader Marianne Pizzitola for praise, likening her to the iconic NYC statue, Fearless Girl.
Marianne Pizzitola, NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees.
Marianne Pizzitola, NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees President and retired EMS Paramedic, has been at the forefront of the movement to protect retirees’ Medicare coverage since the Advantage plan was introduced. “This fight has been three and a half years in the making,” she said. “We have three different lawsuits against the City of New York. We have won ten times in Court, with two unanimous Appeals Court decisions. The law and the courts are on our side. We just need to make sure everybody else is listening.” She went on to say, “And with this bill we are hoping to protect Traditional Medicare and the benefits that were promised to all these retirees.” There’s no division between current employees and retirees, she went on to explain, because if they can do this to retirees now they can do it to others later.
Speaking out against Medicare Advantage.
Retired Assemblyman Richard Gottfried addressed the rally and cited an obscure Oval Office conversation that came to light in the context of Richard Nixon‘s Watergate scandal. In the exchange between then President Nixon and his Chief of Staff the two men acknowledged and approved of the concept of a private, profit driven Medicare alternative, or what is now marketed as Medicare Advantage. Several retirees spoke about difficulties they’ve faced when Advantage plans denied treatment or prescriptions coverage. A group of Home Attendants expressed solidarity with the struggle.
Charles Barron
Former Brooklyn City Council Member Charles Barron has also supported the retirees’ Medicare struggle. He retired from the Council earlier this year and noted that CM Marte now occupies his old seat in the City Council chamber and will continue the fight from there. “We will win,” he predicted.
Disclosures: qphotonyc is a Municipal Retiree impacted by the Medicare Advantage proposal. PII blurred in photo of Dr. Moore.