Letter to the Editor in Highlands Current Newspaper

RPEA Executive Director Edward Farrell submitted an LTE to the Highlands Current in Cold Springs, NY. The letter to the editor was in response to the Cold Spring Village Board, which stopped short of supporting the NY Health Act at a recent meeting. The letter follows:

The Cold Spring Village Board is wise to tread cautiously regarding this legislation.

Contrary to statements made during the board meeting, there’s no guarantee the federal government will give all Medicare and Medicaid funds, currently provided to New York residents, to this new state entity. Also, a new payroll tax would be implemented. As the legislation is written, the NYS Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) would be eliminated -– the very program that Cold Spring employees and its retirees are enrolled in. Retires on Medicare would see that abolished as well. And what about retirees living or traveling out of state? Will other states accept this new state-run coverage?

There’s too much uncertainty and too many questions left unanswered. The Retired Public Employees Association, which represents the interest of nearly 500,000 New York State and local government retirees, has no confidence in the state to implement an undertaking of this magnitude and cost. Our health and well-being are at stake, and that’s too big a risk to take.

– Farrell is executive director of the Retired Public Employees Association.

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Visit the Highlands Current online to read the full article: highlandscurrent.org/2022/03/18/cold-spring-punts-on-new-york-health-act/