New York City officials announced they will provide retired municipal employees with coverage through a new NYC Medicare Advantage Plus Program, effective Jan. 1, 2022. The program is intended to provide better benefits for retirees while saving taxpayers $600 million in healthcare costs, according to a July 14 news release.
The program, which will be provided through an alliance between Anthem Blue Cross and Emblem Health, will replace the current Medicare plans that serve New York City's 250,000 retirees, while adding benefits including meal delivery services and telemedicine.
A proposal by public-sector unions in June to switch Medicare beneficiaries to a Medicare Advantage plan was met with opposition from retiree advocates, citing care access barriers and higher costs.
"We do not have these barriers now, and we do not want them in the future," Council of Municipal Retiree Organizations President Stu Eber told The Intercept June 7.
"The City's commitment to our retirees is unwavering, and our new plan increases both quality and benefits for retirees while also lowering costs for the City and its taxpayers," Mayor Bill de Blasio said in the statement.