Retirees In Action

The principal function of the PEF Retirees is to protect and promote the rights and benefits of our retired state workforce.

As seniors on fixed incomes, we continually suffer with high medical co-payments, revision of drug formularies, elimination of specific coverage and incomprehensible paperwork and regulations. We deal with many insurance companies that care for nothing more than their profits.

To secure our health insurance benefits, we supported the state Health Care Protection legislation (S.6457A/A.9393A) that would have created a task force to study and recommend cost-effective strategies for protecting adequate and affordable health insurance for retirees. It would have blocked any unilateral reduction of our benefits pending the task force’s report.

The bill faced a firestorm of opposition led by the NYS Association of Counties, the NYS Association of Mayors and Municipal Officials, the Business Council and a host of others.

PEF Retirees and our allies countered with letters to newspapers, and sent hundreds of letters and made thousands of phone calls to the governor’s office and to legislators in support of this bill. We are proud and grateful for the tremendous response we received from our membership.

In September, Gov. David Paterson vetoed this bill. Apparently, one of his concerns was the makeup of the task force prescribed in the bill.

However, our efforts have influenced him to acknowledge and address our concerns.

Paterson said he will create a task force that includes representatives of public employee retirees to study this issue and report before the end of the next legislative session.

The governor said he hopes this “will lead to productive dialogue directed at finding the appropriate balance between protecting the important interests of the retirees, and ensuring adequate flexibility for the state and local governments in this time of fiscal constraint.”

While the veto is a set-back, the opportunity for retired public employees to be represented on the task force and participate in hearings means we must redouble our efforts.

We already have made a difference. Join us in continuing this effort.