Give Retirees' Say on Change

(Editor's note: the following letter to the parties negotiating a shift of retiree health coverage to Medicare Advantage is published here at its author's request.) Dear Commissioner Campion, Chairperson Nespoli and Arbitrator Scheinman: The Council of Municipal Retiree Organizations (COMRO) requests that the Municipal Labor Committee and NYC directly and publicly address the concerns of 200,000 retirees and our 40,000 dependents over the pending proposal to move retiree health-care coverage from Medicare/Senior Care to Medicare Advantage Passive PPO. Retirees affected by these proposed changes have not been provided adequate and timely information nor has there been an opportunity to discuss the vendors' proposals in the context of our current plans.

This is the only way the various union-delegate assemblies can make informed decisions about our health care today and theirs in the future.