A message from PEF Retirees President Steve Muscarella
Retireestohoneinonhealthcareissues
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WhyistheU.S.theonlyindustrialized living. currentnewsonourhealthinsurance
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nationlackinganationalsystemthat ThisJuly,thePEF coverage.
guaranteesaffordablehealthcareforits Retireeswillhostitsthird MarcusHarazinfromthestateOffice
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citizens? annualSummer fortheAgingwilldiscusshealthcare
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Americanhealthcareisanexpensive, LeadershipConference,a alternativesandotherinitiativesthat
wasteful,consumesone-sixthofthe two-dayeventin wouldbenefittheelderlypopulationin
Americaneconomyandisunsustainable. Binghamton.Wehave ourstate.
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Medicare,theprimaryinsurerofthe commitmentsfrom FrankStellafromtheAmerican
elderly,ispredictedtogobankruptby nationalandstateexperts FederationofTeachersandJohnMurphy
2049ifradicalchangesarenot todiscusshealthcare fromthePEFLegislativeDepartmentwill
forthcoming. issues. addressnationalandstateactionsthat
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In2007,57millionAmericanshad
MUSCARELLA
PEFPresidentKen affectseniors.
difficultypayingmedicalbills.This Brynienwillbethe BlairHorner,withtheNewYorkPublic
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affectseveryoneintheformofhigher keynotespeakeratouropeningreception InterestResearchGroup,willdiscuss
medicalcosts.Medicalexpensesarethe anddinnerJuly21.WealsoexpectU.S. waysthestatecouldsavetaxdollars,
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primarycauseofbankruptcyinour Rep.EricMassatospeakthatevening. includingspendingforprescription
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country. Theconferencewillpresentaseriesof drugs.
Besidesthemoralandethical sixworkshopsJuly22coveringawide AllthePEFRetireechapterpresidents
questionsofhealthcareasahuman rangeofhealthissues.JohnGlaserfrom areexpectedtoattendtheconference
right,thisdreadfuldrainonoureconomy theNationalCommitteetoPreserveSocial alongwithkeyactivistsfromtheir
hurtsusall.Thewastedcapitalcould SecurityandMedicarewillappriseusof chapters.
fundgreaterresearch,homehealthcare thelatestinformationonthoseprograms. Formoreinformation,contactyour
initiativesandhumanitarianprograms ArepresentativefromthestateHealth regionalchapterpresidentorcall1-800-
thatwouldmarkedlyimprovesenior InsuranceProgram(NYSHIP)willpresent 342-4306,ext.289.
TruthorconsequencesinNYSHIP
auditofyourcovereddependents
By SHERRY HALBROOK dependents. “EligibilityVerificationPeriod,”youwillbe
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Youhavealotonthelineifyouarein Theaudit,calledtheDependent askedtosubmitdocumentationtoverify
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thestateHealthInsuranceProgram EligibilityVerificationProject,willhave thecontinuingeligibilityofallyour
(NYSHIP)andhavecovereddependents. twophases. covereddependentswhowerenot
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Yousoonwillreceivetwomailingsfrom Thefirstisa“SpecialAmnestyPeriod” removedduringtheamnestyperiod.
theprogram,whichisconductingatwo- fromApril14toJune12. Youwillreceivealistofyourremaining
partaudittoensureonlyeligible “Thisisyourchancetovoluntarily covereddependentsandanother
dependentsarecovered. identifywithoutpenaltyanyineligible worksheetalongwithafulllistof
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“It’sveryimportantforyoutocarefully dependentsyouhavewhoarecovered,” documentsyoumustprovidethatare
readandrespondtothesemailingsas Carrotherssaid. sufficienttoestablisheachdependent’s
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requestedinatimelymanner,”saidPEF DuringtheSpecialAmnestyPeriod, eligibility.
DirectorofContractAdministration anydependentsyouvoluntarilyidentify “Again,itisextremelyimportantthat
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RobertCarrothers. asineligiblewillberemovedfrom allenrolleeswithfamilycoveragerespond
Theauditwillcoverallenrolleesin coverageeffectiveJune13,2009,and fullyandaccuratelyduringthisfinal
NYSHIPwhohavecovereddependents, NYSHIPisbarredbystateCivilService verificationphase,”Carrotherssaid.“If
includingboththosewithcoverage Lawfromdemandingthatyourepayany youfailtofullydocumentadependent’s
throughtheEmpirePlanandthose benefitsreceivedinappropriately.Youwill eligibilitybyAugust28,thatdependent
coveredbyHMOs. alsobeprotectedfromlawsuit, willlikelylosecoverage,youmaybe
“Whenineligibledependentsare prosecutionordisciplineasaresultof requiredtorepayanyclaimsthatwere
covered,thatneedlesslydrivesupthe thisimpropercoverage. paidforthem(possiblygoingbackto
costofcoverageandthepremiumsfor NYSHIPissendingyouthelistofyour whentheywerefirstcovered),andyou
everyone,”Carrotherssaid.“Costs covereddependentsandaworksheetto couldfacelawsuit,prosecutionand/or
escalatefastenough.Ourmembers helpyouverifyiftheyareeligiblefor discipline.”
cannotandshouldnotpayincreased coverage. Formoreinformation,goonlineto
costsbecauseineligiblepeopleare “Besuretoreadthematerialand www.cs.state.ny.us/nyshipeligibility
enrolledinthehealthinsuranceplan.” respondcarefullybeforeJune12ifyou project/overview.cfmorcallBudcoat1-
ThestatehascontractedwithBudco,a findanyofyourcovereddependentsare 888-358-2196weekdaysbetweennoon
Michigan-basedfirm,toperformthis ineligible,”Carrotherssaid. and8p.m.
audit.Budcoexpectstoidentifyand Thesecondphaseoftheauditbegins
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PEFInformationLine:1-800-553-2445
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