Retirees Blast Health Insurance Proposal

ALBANY, NY (01/20/2016)(readMedia)-- Edward C. Farrell, Executive Director of the Retired Public Employees Association (RPEA), today termed Governor Cuomo's proposal to increase health insurance costs for certain Medicare eligible retirees as "repugnant".

Farrell stated "Retirees who participate in the New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) are forced into Medicare upon reaching age 65. By making Medicare the primary provider for these retirees, NYSHIP saves billions of dollars, because it still charges retirees the same premiums as it does for current employees."

Because the state saves so much money, NYSHIP retirees who are forced into Medicare are reimbursed for the Medicare premium. Cuomo's budget proposal would eliminate reimbursements for additional Medicare premiums paid by certain retirees who have a higher income. The change would affect not only this budget, but future budgets as well.

John McPadden, RPEA President, added "We call upon the Senate and Assembly to once again reject this ill advised proposal. They stood up for us in both 2013 and 2014 when Governor Cuomo tried this before, and we are counting on them to do so again."

Farrell concluded "Building bridges and fixing roads is certainly important. That effort, however, should not come at the expense of retirees, and to do so is poor policy and repugnant."

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