Aetna Medicare Advantage PPO Plan is scheduled to start Sept. 1, 2023

On March 9, 2023, the Municipal Labor Committee -- a coalition of NYC public employee unions -- voted in favor of implementing an Aetna Medicare Advantage PPO Plan for NYC’s 250,000 public service retirees.

As discussed at the March 28, 2023, DC 37 Retirees Association General Membership Meeting, below is information concerning the Aetna Medicare Advantage PPO Plan that the City of New York "intends to implement as of September 1, 2023."

From the OLR website: "The City of New York, working with the Municipal Labor Committee, intends to implement a Medicare Advantage program for City retirees and their eligible dependents age 65 and over as of September 1, 2023. The new program, which will be provided by Aetna, is currently undergoing the remaining steps of the City’s contract approval process. Pending those steps, we are providing notice and information about the plan to ensure that you have sufficient advance notice about the anticipated new program and to provide information about the program's expected implementation.”

For details, click on the following links from the NYC Office of Labor Relations and Aetna websites:

• OLR: Announcement Letter from NYC Labor Commissioner Campion.
• OLR: Learn More About the Aetna Medicare Advantage PPO (www.nyc.gov/hbp)
• Aetna Medicare Advantage PPO Plan Information for City of New York retirees (cony.aetnamedicare.gov or call 1-855-648-0389)

NYC Retirees Continue to Organize Against Managed Care

As the NYC moves ahead with its plans to move public retirees into private Medicare Managed Care, NYC retirees and their attorneys are continuing the fight to keep the traditional Medicare plans they were promised – testifying at an Aetna Medicare Advantage PPO Plan contract hearing, protesting at the MLC and City Hall, and exploring new legal options to stop the latest Managed Care plan.

To that end, below is a message from Marianne Pizzitola, President of the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees related to actions/ events that are underway and/ or recommended to register our opposition to the AETNA Contract:

Greetings Retirees! 
We are starting to prepare meetings for Council member constituents. Do you live in the 5 boros? If yes, click here and complete this. If NOT, jump down to the Homework section.



HOMEWORK



THIS IS YOUR HOMEWORK EMAIL. PLEASE DO THIS DAILY. Even if you already did it...please do it every day. (No excuses! It does not matter where you live!)

1. Click HERE to send a letter to the Comptroller Brad Lander and tell him to OBJECT to the AETNA Contract!



2. Call the Mayor! 212-639-9675 (or call 311 if you live in the 5 boros) and tell him not to register the Aetna contract and give us Option C. (The offer of a medigap plan.)



Tell him many Dr's won’t take the plan and if we want to go back to traditional Medicare it may be impossible to get a medigap plan because of age and pre existing conditions. And of course prior authorizations will delay and deny your care. CALL HIM EVERY DAY, TWICE A DAY! (and if you're bored call more and share another message). This is good because every time you call, the call taker is being educated too! They should be from Local 1549, ask! SPREAD THE WORD!



His decision to force us into one plan will harm retirees and violates the promise the City had with us that we would always have a CHOICE of plans and our Medicare.

We thank the New York City Organization of Public Service Retirees for their leadership on this case and their ongoing pursuit of legal remedies on this issue. To keep informed and donate toward their ongoing efforts, click here. Their website address is https://www.nycretirees.org/

Background info, news coverage and past court decisions:

• To read news coverage of this development, click here.
• To view photos of protests against NYC MAPP, scroll down.
• To read the Judge's past ruling and the appeals court decision upholding it, click on the links below.