Are New York’s Unions Selling Out Retirees?

I realize that Medicare Advantage which I have been on for 19 years (since I became 65) is a win for the insurance companies because of the way Republicans set it up under Bush 43. However, as a healthy person, I spend very little over and above the part B premium--so far. I suspect that those that chose Medicare Advantage are also healthy, and are also happy--until they are not healthy. But I think I've read that a majority om those 65 and over choose regular Medicare, perhaps because they are less healthy, perhaps because the Advantage plans seem too good to be true. If such plans turn out to be that way, the individual can switch to regular Medicare. Of course what you are describing is setting up the system so that the union retiree has to take the Medicare Advantage plan. Could you please explain how that would work, as to my knowledge, once you are 65 your choice of health plan is up to you. Incidentally, I do get the idea that anything that involves insurance companies starts with the supposition that the insurance company will do what it can to make a profit. Nevertheless, over the last 19 years I have been lucky and my health has been good and it would have cost me significantly more to have been on regular Medicare.

We pay out of pocket $ 12,000 for one drug that costs $19,000 per month and we get about $ 6 or 7,000 back from the union in March of the next year. Adding another $ 6000 to that would be devastating.

Single payer for All.

Medicare Advantage is a scam that was to be temporary, but the insurance companies hooked all these people by giving eye, dental, N hearing. WE NYC teachers ALREADY HAVE THAT.

This is a revolting development.

All insurance companies are money shuffling entities that provide profits for their executives. They are parasites! They should not exist.

Medicare Advantage is like a lethal lottery. This change will result in avoidable funerals and grieving families. An article published yesterday refers mainly to uninsured people, but when retirees' Medicare Advantage 'coverage' becomes unaffordable, it will apply to them too. https://medium.com/@idember/lethal-lottery-shirley-jacksons-horror-tale-times-ten-thousand-for-real-f4a48e1d593b