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retirement law To the Editor: I am in complete agreement with fellow PEF member Lou Marcano concerning “Plan 80” advocacy. In these strained financial times, our state legislators are searching for ways to save on state expenditures. Our union should research the savings to the state budget that would be afforded, if Plan 80 was implemented. Research of other states and federal agencies who incorporated similar retirement plans in like situations also would be helpful. Plan 80 implementation will bring about three groups of winners. Eligible retirees will have a well deserved and fair retirement plan. The state will realize needed savings and the remaining PEF workers would realize greater job security. Kevin P. Connolly Ossining Participating MDs too scarce To the Editor: I am a union member from upstate NY. I am writing to tell you about the effect our health care benefits have on obtaining good health care where I live. I live within five miles of three excellent hospitals (one is less than one mile from my home). Yet, I have to travel 30 miles and to another state for my health care. Why? Most of the doctors and all of the anesthesiologists in my area are not participating providers in the Empire Health Plan. I cannot afford to have my health care at home. Our premiums have risen, our co-pays have risen, yet, fewer doctors are participating in our plan. Something is very wrong with this picture. It’s ridiculous for a NYS employee to have to travel to a different state for affordable health care. The union needs to address our needs. When there are not doctors available in a specific specialty, there must be a reason. When doctors are dropping from our plan left and right, there must be a reason. Could it be the poor reimbursement? If so, then the union needs to address this. The union needs to find out why more and more doctors are leaving, forcing us to go out of state for our care. It does us no good to get a minimal raise in salary, if it is eaten up by rising health care costs for a plan that doesn’t cover minimal health care needs and ever increasing co-payments, for less and less care. Please address this in this year’s contract negotiations. Carol Ferraro Johnson City Editor’s note: The two anesthesiologist groups in Broome County have declined to join the Empire Plan participating provider panel. However, many other physicians in the area do participate. To find par providers in your area visit www.provider.uhc.com online or call 877 769-7447 toll free. Student thanks PEF for help To the Editor: The Public Employees Federation has been extremely generous in awarding me a Joseph Scacalossi Scholarship. It is a great honor and a large financial help as well. My studies are underway at Cornell University and I couldn’t be happier anywhere else. It is a world-class academic institution, and PEF has helped to provide me with my Cornell education. It is important to me to help my parents to pay for my education, and this scholarship has made that possible. Michael Beckman Syracuse The Communicator Letters policy We welcome letters to the editor about union issues and events relevant to PEF's diverse membership. All letters are subject to editing for space, fairness and good taste. Please keep them brief (up to one page, double-spaced or a maximum of 250 words), and please include your name and phone number for verification. Send letters to: The Communicator Public Employees Federation P.O. Box 12414 Albany, N.Y. 12212-2414 email Denyce Duncan Lacy, Executive Editor The Communicator - Director of Public Relations dduncanlacy@pef.org Sherry Halbrook, Editor of The Communicator- shalbrook@pef.org |
