Before our DA, can we formulate a public relations campaign—i.e., publicity—-prior to the surprise vote demand by Mulgrew? We might have an organizing job to do, at short notice.
Do non-retired members have a clue this is being sprung on them, their future ability to afford healthcare, even bad healthcare outcomes, due to straitened healthcare provider choices?
I’ve shared my questions to the RTC Health Care Committee who passed my questions to the people at the UFT Welfare Fund. I still have not received any answers:
Dear RTC Health Care Committee,
I wasn’t able to attend the session [on Sept. 9]. I had to observe a student teacher at 1:30 Pacific time (I’m in CA), which is exactly when the meeting started. I’m still working for a school district even though I am retired with DOE. I have a few question about the NYCE PPO plan:
Will the new prescription benefits plan for pre-Medicare, Prime Therapeutics, be strictly an online pharmacy? Does this mean there are no storefront pharmacies available? So if I have an urgent need for antibiotics, insulin, EpiPen, Paxlovid or any other kind of drug that needs to start immediately, I will have to wait for mail delivery?
Will the new national list of in-network providers extend to Oakland, CA? Slide #13 has me concerned because it does not list California.
Will members have access to the full contract before the DA vote?
Also was the presentation recorded to access online?
As a UFT retiree who has been through this and an occupational therapist who accepted private insurance, the devil is in the details. When this original plan was proposed to retirees they created a healthcare committee which I wanted to be a part of. They did not want me of course. I knew too much.
The UFT wants no one with healthcare knowledge on this committee . Most of the UFT are teachers, and do not have knowledge of the healthcare system ( no disrespect there) which is constantly changing. So you really need to consult outside experts and don’t believe the lies and committee formation . Unity will do anything to push this through. Learn from history please.
@Naomi Even if you had been allowed to join the healthcare committee, your input would have been ignored. Rodney Grubiak had a tight grip on discussion and information. I wanted to post two comments from the UFT fb page with regard to seeing the contract particularly Grubiak’s statement. No images here so copy and pasting: From Rodney Grubiak -That has never been part of the process. As clearly stated, negotiations for our health plan have been done on a yearly basis for well over forty (40) years. Have you ever received a copy of the contract for your review ?? NEVER !! All of the information from the negotiations is being provided to the membership for discussion, review and comment. Did you attend the excellent information meeting yesterday on the proposed plan? Over 12,000 members registered for this meeting. if you missed it you can read everything on the UFT website.
BTW, for the last three (3) years we have been kept informed of the ongoing progress and negotiations. All of the UFT Chapters across the city now have the opportunity to have UFT Chapter Meetings to discuss the proposed plan and have their elected delegates attend the UFT Delegate Assembly at the end of the month where a vote will be taken after another full discussion.”
I am not surprised. These are changes. Didnt healthcare remain basically the same for many years so they felt they didn’t need to share? It’s within the past five years that major changes have occurred. An uninformed population will not be happy.
An extensive and detailed list of questions was sent to Bennett Fischer’s email without response. Right off the bat, the contract has not been revealed. This lack of information prompted Judge Lyle Frank to grant a Temporary Restraining Order for the Medicare Advantage Plan. Segal Company presented to the MLC for the Medicare Advantage Plan stating that this plan would mirror our current Medicare and supplemental. Reading the transcript shows that they didn’t have a clue as to what they were talking about, intentionally or unintentionally. Segal Company is once again speaking to the MLC on the new plan. Will they be better prepared this time?
The union’s mission is to screw its members..particularly the elderly retirees!!
Before our DA, can we formulate a public relations campaign—i.e., publicity—-prior to the surprise vote demand by Mulgrew? We might have an organizing job to do, at short notice.
Do non-retired members have a clue this is being sprung on them, their future ability to afford healthcare, even bad healthcare outcomes, due to straitened healthcare provider choices?
Handouts—one sheet, bullet points—for next DA???
You need to publicize this somehow . You have many good points in this article.
I’ve shared my questions to the RTC Health Care Committee who passed my questions to the people at the UFT Welfare Fund. I still have not received any answers:
Dear RTC Health Care Committee,
I wasn’t able to attend the session [on Sept. 9]. I had to observe a student teacher at 1:30 Pacific time (I’m in CA), which is exactly when the meeting started. I’m still working for a school district even though I am retired with DOE. I have a few question about the NYCE PPO plan:
Will the new prescription benefits plan for pre-Medicare, Prime Therapeutics, be strictly an online pharmacy? Does this mean there are no storefront pharmacies available? So if I have an urgent need for antibiotics, insulin, EpiPen, Paxlovid or any other kind of drug that needs to start immediately, I will have to wait for mail delivery?
Will the new national list of in-network providers extend to Oakland, CA? Slide #13 has me concerned because it does not list California.
Will members have access to the full contract before the DA vote?
Also was the presentation recorded to access online?
Thank you for all your support to the RTC,
DOE pre-Medicare Retiree
I’d suggest emailing geof sorkin directly or the general email for the new plan.
How many pre Medicare retirees are there? Why is no one questioning the proposed prescription benefits plan for pre-Medicare, Prime Therapeutics?
As a UFT retiree who has been through this and an occupational therapist who accepted private insurance, the devil is in the details. When this original plan was proposed to retirees they created a healthcare committee which I wanted to be a part of. They did not want me of course. I knew too much.
The UFT wants no one with healthcare knowledge on this committee . Most of the UFT are teachers, and do not have knowledge of the healthcare system ( no disrespect there) which is constantly changing. So you really need to consult outside experts and don’t believe the lies and committee formation . Unity will do anything to push this through. Learn from history please.
@Naomi Even if you had been allowed to join the healthcare committee, your input would have been ignored. Rodney Grubiak had a tight grip on discussion and information. I wanted to post two comments from the UFT fb page with regard to seeing the contract particularly Grubiak’s statement. No images here so copy and pasting: From Rodney Grubiak -That has never been part of the process. As clearly stated, negotiations for our health plan have been done on a yearly basis for well over forty (40) years. Have you ever received a copy of the contract for your review ?? NEVER !! All of the information from the negotiations is being provided to the membership for discussion, review and comment. Did you attend the excellent information meeting yesterday on the proposed plan? Over 12,000 members registered for this meeting. if you missed it you can read everything on the UFT website.
BTW, for the last three (3) years we have been kept informed of the ongoing progress and negotiations. All of the UFT Chapters across the city now have the opportunity to have UFT Chapter Meetings to discuss the proposed plan and have their elected delegates attend the UFT Delegate Assembly at the end of the month where a vote will be taken after another full discussion.”
In addition comments are now shut down on the UFT fb page for this topic. https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1250495690455429&id=100064850285718&mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=8q3xEzqSi63JcRNd
I am not surprised. These are changes. Didnt healthcare remain basically the same for many years so they felt they didn’t need to share? It’s within the past five years that major changes have occurred. An uninformed population will not be happy.
Ridiculous way to justify . “ “We’ve done it this way forever.”All lies! They don’t want membership to know the truth
An extensive and detailed list of questions was sent to Bennett Fischer’s email without response. Right off the bat, the contract has not been revealed. This lack of information prompted Judge Lyle Frank to grant a Temporary Restraining Order for the Medicare Advantage Plan. Segal Company presented to the MLC for the Medicare Advantage Plan stating that this plan would mirror our current Medicare and supplemental. Reading the transcript shows that they didn’t have a clue as to what they were talking about, intentionally or unintentionally. Segal Company is once again speaking to the MLC on the new plan. Will they be better prepared this time?
He just sent out an email saying that he wasn't going to touch Medicare, this guy's got to be kidding!
The petition link isn’t working