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To the editor:
The city has announced a new health plan for active city employees, pre-Medicare retirees and their dependents. A joint proposal from EmblemHealth and United Healthcare was selected, subject to ratification by the Municipal Labor Committee.
The lead up included promises of transparency by MLC leaders, who don’t want to repeat missteps that doomed the original Medicare Advantage plan for retirees. (In a 2021 court decision won by the New York City Organization of Public Service Retirees, Judge Lyle Frank called the process “irrational.”)
In 2023, the MLC approved a Medicare Advantage plan for Aetna — without having read the contract. There are already red flags that indicate no lessons learned.
For one day only, the MLC will provide one representative from each union “access to the contract agreement and exhibits … at the offices of DC 37.”
Actual members will not be able to view and provide feedback to their leaders before the ratification vote, hurriedly planned for late September.
Meanwhile, the United Federation of Teachers” health committee quickly voted to send the proposal to their delegate assembly —also without having seen the actual contract.
The selection of United Healthcare was made against the backdrop of a Department of Justice investigation of their Medicare Advantage billing practices. The probe focuses on allegations that the company manipulates patient diagnoses to receive higher payments from the federal government.
Finally, as the MLC barrels towards a vote, it can’t be ignored that their secretary, Teamsters 237 President Gregory Floyd, serves on the Board of EmblemHealth.
In a perfect world, he would either step down from the board or recuse himself from the vote.
As he is in the running to succeed Harry Nespoli as chair of the MLC, it would definitely be the right thing to do, morally and politically.
Harry Weiner
The writer is a member of the Council of Municipal Retiree Organizations.
3 comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here
wpeakes
It boggles the mind that the MLC is repeating the same mistakes that it made concerning the implementation of the Medicare Advantage Plan. What's the rush? I would implore them to take the time to read and understand the contract, present it to the members, present it to non-MLC union heads and their members, and then have an informed vote.
Wednesday, September 3 Report this
harryw
Thank You, wpcakes, for adding a point that I omitted in my letter; that
non-MLC unions will have no opportunity to see the contract for the indefinite future.
If I recall correctly, the Medicare Advantage contract was only made available shortly
before the required public hearing.
Thursday, September 4 Report this
Word Man
In a repeat performance, the MLC approved a Medicare Advantage plan for Aetna without reviewing the contract, rightfully raising concerns about transparency. The United Federation of Teachers voted unquestioningly to send the proposal to their delegate assembly without reviewing the contract, and the MLC secretary’s role on the Emblem Health board presents an obvious conflict of interest. The devil is highly likely to be in the specifics.
Wednesday, September 10 Report this