NYC Retirees Respond To Mayor Adams Announcement He Registered Aetna Medicare Advantage Plan Despite Lawsuits, Refusal Of Most Physicians To Accept Plan

New York City Retiree’s Response to Mayor Adams Announcement he Registered the Aetna Medicare Advantage Plan

Retirees Respond to Mayor Adams Announcement

New York, NY — Mayor Eric Adams announced he registered the Aetna Medicare Advantage Contract after Comptroller Brad Lander refused to register it. The New York City Organization of Public Service Retirees finds this irresponsible. The Mayor accuses the Comptroller of spreading “confusion and misinformation.” The only “confusion and misinformation” has come from City Hall. For over a year, our organization, The NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees, has attempted to meet with the Mayor to come to a resolution to honor the decades of service committed by our retired public servants who love this city. He never sat with us to discuss how this plan will harm us.

Doctors, Physicians, and several healthcare treatment facilities have conveyed to our retirees that they will not accept the Medicare Advantage Plan being forced upon us by the Mayor, which has subsequently led to our recent lawsuit against the city and the rejection of the contract by City Comptroller Brad Lander. For the first time, we will be subject to prior authorization for medication and medical procedures decided by a for-profit and privately managed healthcare company, CVS/Aetna. For years, several studies have shown higher rejection rates of much-needed services for seniors who have switched into a Medicare Advantage Plan – this is not hearsay, misinformation, or lies – it’s just the facts.

As another example, in 2017, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid reduced the reimbursement rates for Medicare Advantage private insurers, and when this inevitably happens again, our retired public servants will see increased costs and decreased services.

The plan we were promised when serving our city for decades did not force us to lose our doctors, physicians, or healthcare treatment facilities. Moreover, there were no additional or extenuating costs or caps on needed medical care. The Mayor is wrong to say we are “confused” or “fearful of change.” As true public servants to our city, we want the benefit we were promised and not be forced into inferior managed privatized Medicare that our healthcare providers will not accept.

The Mayor said, “You can’t balance the budget on the backs of those who served the City.” Unfortunately, that is what he has decided to do. We were lied to when we entered into a contract serving this city, and when Eric Adams was a candidate, he called it the ultimate “bait and switch.” Today, he is at the helm of that switch.

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