By Joe Maniscalco

Members of a mostly Republican caucus inside the New York City Council filed an amicus brief today in New York State Supreme Court supporting municipal retirees seeking a preliminary injunction against Mayor Eric Adams’ plan to strip city workers of their traditional Medicare coverage and force them into a profit-driven Medicare Advantage plan run by Aetna.

Common Sense Caucus member Ari Kagan [R - District 47] told Work-Bites he is personally fighting “on all fronts” in an effort to stop the Adams administration from executing the scheme Hizzoner originally panned as a “bait and switch” while still on the campaign trail — only to do an about-face once in office.

New York State Supreme Court Justice Lyle Frank is presiding over the case and is expected to hand down a decision soon.

“For over 50 years, the City of New York has guaranteed Medicare eligible retired City workers and their Medicare-eligible dependents a choice of Medicare Supplemental insurance plans,” the brief explains. “Now, the City is making its third unlawful attempt in just the past two years to deny Retirees and their Medicare-eligible dependents their rightful healthcare benefits.”

Retirees who resist the Medicare Advantage push will be forced to pay the remainder of healthcare costs that traditional Medicare does not cover out of their own pockets. 

But as the amicus brief also highlights, “Over 70,000 retired City workers survive on pensions of less than $1,500 a month; nearly 100,000 survive on less than $2,000; and over $150,000 survive on less than $3,000.”

“We appreciate [the Common Sense Caucus’] support!” CROC organizer Sarah Shapiro told Work-Bites. “But I’m wondering where are the “Progressives?” Council Members Christopher Marte, Alexa Aviles, and Kristin Richardson Jordan have always stood with us. The rest are disappointingly silent, mute and MIA.”

Back in January, Democrat Chi Ossé [D-36th District] joined with City Council colleagues including Progressive Caucus Co-Chair Shahana Hanif [D-39th District], Republicans David Carr [R-50th District], Joann Ariola [R-32nd District], and Vicki Paladino [R-19th District], in front of the City Hall steps to declare fighting the city’s attempts to strip municipal retirees of their traditional Medicare coverage is a “bipartisan issue.”

“We as workers of the city that represents retirees know that this is a cruel act,” Ossé said. 

At the same time, Ariola displayed boxes of emails from constituents urging her to fight the city and protect traditional Medicare benefits.

“I have been at the forefront and leading this march to support our retirees, and will not let go, I will not let up,” Ariola said. “Our retirees deserve the retirement benefits and healthcare benefits that they were promised and it is our job as their elected officials to make sure that remains intact.”

Fast forward to this week, when Council Member Charles Barron [D-42nd District] is expected to introduce proposed retiree legislation on Thursday, June 22, aimed at doing just that.

Co-sponsors of the measure, according to CROC — the Cross-Union Retirees Organizing Committee - include  Republican Council Members Ariola, Paladino and Inna Vernikov [R-48th District] — as well as Democrats Alexa Aviles, Kristin Richardson Jordan, Linda Lee, Christopher Marte, and Lynn Schulman.

Republicans Ariola, Paladino, and Vernikov are all members of the Common Sense Caucus.

Municipal retirees and their supporters will rally outside City Hall at Noon on Thursday, June 22, in support of Council Member Barron’s Medicare legislation.

New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, along with fellow Democratic Council Members Carmen De La Rosa, Marjorie Velázquez, Julie Menin, Eric Dinowitz, Nantasha Williams, Mercedes Narcisse, Sandy Nurse, Crystal Hudson, Lynn Schulman, Alexa Avilés — are all expected to attend and speak at another City Hall rally just prior that from 10:30 a.m. to Noon — this one in support of striking Writers Guild of America [WGA] workers.

Work-Bites will provide full coverage of all the action.