On Thursday, August 13, City Council Bill 1008 was introduced by Councilmember Christopher Marte.
This bill would enshrine in law Retirees’ right to Traditional Medicare, and prohibit them from being placed on any privatized Medicare plan or healthcare plan that would add copays, premiums, networks, or additional cost. It would require they be provided the same quality of healthcare as they received prior to December 31, 2021.
When Councilmember Marte spoke to a rally before the introduction of the resolution, he said:
“Here’s the deal, these people worked for decades. They’ve been retired for decades. A promise was made to them. They kept their end of the deal and the city has to keep its promise. We’re going to hold them accountable to that.”
(Reported by Joe Maniscalco https://www.work-bites.com/view-all/newretireebill)
Council Members Christopher Marte and Frank Morano joined Marianne Pizzitola and Retirees in a rally before the introduction. (Photo: Joe Maniscalco)
When Councilmember Marte introduced the proposed legislation to the full City Council, he said (Transcribed from City Council full meeting posted video):
“For decades, our Retirees served this city with an understanding that when they retire, the healthcare they earn would be there for them. Yet, after years of uncertainty, they remain vulnerable to future efforts to privatize their care, restrict which doctors they can see, or impose new co-pays and other out-of-pocket costs. This bill will make sure that that cannot happen. It prohibits the city from diminishing healthcare coverage for Medicare eligible Retirees and their dependents, including by forcing them into privatized Medicare plans with limited provider networks or increasing what they have to pay for care. We cannot allow the healthcare people already have to be taken away. Progress cannot mean moving backwards for our Retirees. The immediate Medicare Advantage proposal may be off the table, but Retirees should not have to spend the rest of their lives worrying whether the healthcare they depend on will be taken away by the next administration or after. The Council has a responsibility to provide that certainty. I urge my colleagues to join us, sign on to Intro 1008, stand with our Retirees and protect the healthcare that they earned through decades of service in this city.”
Fix Retiree Benefits promoted the rally and the introduction of 1008. Here are some of our members who participated in the rally at City Hall:
(Photo: Fix Retiree Benefits)
Now we all need to work to get 1008 passed by the City Council and signed into law by Mayor Mamdani. Fix Retiree Benefits will be joining the campaign led by the New York Organization of Public Service Retirees (NYCOPSR).
Check back here to join Fix Retiree Benefits in the campaign.
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