Bennett Fischer, RTC Chapter Leader
Many things come to mind as I take stock of the past year in the RTC. On a nuts-and-bolts level, I’m pleased that our meetings are becoming smoother and better structured. Experience definitely helps: I feel more comfortable running these sessions, which rely on the coordination of many people. We couldn’t do it without our chapter volunteers and the professional staff of the UFT. Thank you, all!
I love our meetings — especially the debate and that any member can put a motion on the floor. I am constantly struck by the diversity of our opinions. It can be messy, as democracy often is, but it’s never boring.
We have navigated significant changes to our health plan for pre-Medicare retirees and to our prescription drug plans for all retirees. On balance, the NYCE PPO plan remains a net positive for our pre-Medicare members. The New York metropolitan area provider network has remained robust — even expanding in certain areas — while out-of-state pre-Medicare retirees now have access to a vastly improved network.
The prescription plans, however, are a mixed bag. We have seen price increases due to drug “up-tiering” and navigated frustrating bureaucratic errors regarding generic versus brand-name coverage and the availability of 90-day maintenance supplies. The UFT Welfare Fund has been excellent at resolving most issues, but they still surface.
Of further concern is the mandate of Amazon Pharmacy as the sole home-delivery option for pre-Medicare retirees’ maintenance medications. By 2027, Amazon may become the exclusive option for Medicare-eligible retirees on the EmblemHealth Medicare Part D plan. This is unacceptable. Amazon is a corporate monopoly whose anti-union policies and union-busting tactics are anathema to us as organized labor. Additionally, while Amazon’s delivery network may be fast, it cannot deliver goods to U.S. mailboxes, often resulting in life-saving medications left on front stoops and hallway floors. We must fight to preserve home delivery via the U.S. Postal Service.
I am proud that the Retired Teachers Chapter has developed active committees that deliver tangible results. The Labor Solidarity Project has joined picket lines with Amazon workers on Staten Island and marched with nurses outside city hospitals.
The RTC Healthcare Committee, in collaboration with the UFT Welfare Fund, secured a significant benefit for UFT retirees. We convinced the city to “decouple” 365-day hospitalization coverage from the optional EmblemHealth Part D prescription drug rider. Now, if you choose to purchase a Medicare Part D plan on the open market, you can potentially save money and avoid EmblemHealth and Prime Therapeutics altogether, while maintaining 365-day hospital coverage for just $3.38 a month. And you will still qualify for optional rider reimbursements from the UFT Welfare Fund.
Today’s RTC is a vibrant chapter that advocates for every member, ensures all voices are heard and supports both labor and the community. By working closely with our union, we continue to achieve tangible, bread-and-butter benefit improvements. But the work is never-ending. When we return this fall, we must navigate the Health Benefits Transfer Period, fight for benefit protections and defend our prescription drug delivery options — alongside the many other challenges, seen and unseen, that lie ahead.