Medical Lake-area retirees hear council work overview

Maria Britton-Sipe, the executive director of the Retired Public Employees Council of Washington, speaking at the Chapter 14 meeting in Medical Lake May 25 presented an overview of the council’s work in the Washington State Legislature and the challenges retirees face. Some of these are:

• Currently 48 percent of Washingtonians between 55-64 do not have a pension. We need to work on their behalf to ensure those who work have access to a decent retirement.

• We are asking our legislators to restore the $33 health insurance benefit for Medicare eligible retirees covered by the public Employees Benefit Board (PEBB). It was cut during the recession.

• We fought off a feasibility study that would have looked at replacing all current health insurance plans for those Medicare eligible with a Medicare Advantage PPO. This would have eliminated choice for retirees and regulation by the state, and supported the privatization of Medicare. United Health Care, the nation’s largest insurer was behind this effort and has been publicly eliminating the coverage across the country where it is not making “sufficient profits.” The feasibility study did not pass (for now).

Be aware that the federal government has paid private companies to offer Medicare Advantage plans 127 percent of costs to cover a beneficiaries by Traditional Medicare. Those companies are making billions in this way from Medicare, and many members of Congress are using the “excessive cost” factor to lobby for privatizing Medicare.

Maria Britton-Sipe was thanked for sharing this update and given heart-felt applause.

Jim Grant

Medical Lake