By PEF Retirees President Ray Ferraro
PEF Retirees
In Action
By PEF Retirees
President Ray Ferraro
APPRECIATED - Rep. Rick Lazio takes time out during a meeting
on Long Island in October to thank PEF Region 12 Retirees President
Mary Reid for the retirees' help on his campaign.- Photo by Jonathan
Gittens
Schumer, McCall wins good news
for retirees
Two major candidates endorsed by PEF scored ringing victories
on November 3 - Charles Schumer left his seat in Congress to represent
New Yorkers in the U.S. Senate and H. Carl McCall won re-election
as the state's comptroller.
Schumer defeated incumbent Sen. Al D'Amato in a very vigorous
campaign. Many senior citizens voted for Schumer because they
felt D'Amato had failed to support the protection of the Medicare
and Social Security systems.
McCall received overwhelming support from New York retirees simply
because they recognized the outstanding job he has done of protecting
the state pension fund from raids to balance the budget.
Keep up pressure for COLA
I have been hearing from some members who retired in 1991 through
1995 that the increase of $16.87 per month that they received
this year is insignificant. However, without the campaign for
McCall's Performance COLA proposal, it's unlikely there would
have been any change and those who retired after 1990 would have
received no increase.
We live with a very complicated legislative process and a state
comptroller such as Carl McCall will provide the groundwork and
the support that the issue of a permanent COLA needs to be successful
in the state Legislature.
Attention out-of-state retirees:
Beginning in January, Empire Plan enrollees who live in Florida,
Connecticut and New Jersey will be able to select any physician
who participates in United HealthCare Options Preferred Provider
Organization (PPO) network.
The number of participating providers in those three states will
increase from approximately 3,000 to 20,000.
In Florida, Empire Plan enrollees will have access to more than
12,000 United HealthCare physicians.
However, enrollees must ask their current providers if they are
part of the United HealthCare Options PPO, because some providers
now participating in the Empire Plan may not participate in the
new network.
The PEF Retirees office has received many calls from out-of-state
retirees who have had difficulty finding a participating physician,
this new larger network should be a great help to them.
If this program is successfully used by these out-of-state retirees,
it may be extended to other states.
The retirees in these first three states should carefully read
the plan option information in the December issue of the Empire
Plan Report.
Bill not for retired vets
Last month, I mentioned the state Veteran's Service Credit
Bill had not been signed yet. Apparently, some retirees are confused
about who could benefit from it.
The bill would allow veterans preparing for retirement to buy
additional credit in the state pension system. However, veterans
who are already retired would not be eligible for any service
credit under this legislation.
File every year for Enhanced STAR
This is a reminder that retirees in New York state who receive
school-tax-assessment relief on their homes from the Enhanced
STAR Program must file for it each year.
You should receive a form in the mail well before the filing deadline
of March 31. If you do not, call your local tax assessor's office.
For more information call 1-888-697-8275.
