Public service retirees in protest march keep fighting for bill that would protect traditional Medicare coverage

December 16, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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MANHATTAN — NYC ORGANIZATION OF PUBLIC SERVICE RETIREES ON Monday, Dec. 16, marched in protest from City Hall to the offices of District Council 37, one of the largest public-sector employee unions in NYC, as part of the group’s prolonged fight to protect their earned traditional Medicare benefits. The retirees and their allies are protesting what they allege is DC37 executive director Henry Garrido’s spread of misinformation regarding a strongly-bipartisan City Council bill, Int. 1096, (currently in committee) which aims to protect NYC public service retirees’ earned traditional Medicare benefits. According to the City Council’s webpage on this legislation, Int. 1096 “would amend the Administrative Code to preserve health care choices for retirees from city service. The bill provides that the City must offer Medicare-eligible City retirees and their Medicare-eligible dependents at least one Medigap plan with benefits equivalent to or better than those available to City retirees and their dependents as of Dec. 31, 2021.”

The retirees group alleges that “Garrido’s relentless misinformation campaign has sparked outrage among retirees (his own Union leaking recorded calls), who are fighting to preserve their healthcare benefits,” according to an announcement of the march released on Monday morning. The Organization of Public Service Retirees also pointed out that DC37’s own legal counsel acknowledged Int. 1096 does not impair collective bargaining.

Among the bill’s sponsors are two Brooklyn City Councilmembers, Kalman Yeger (D-44) and Inna Vernikov (R-48).

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