A committee of New York City labor leaders approved a new Aetna-run Medicare Advantage plan for municipal retirees Thursday. The successful Municipal Labor Committee vote will automatically enroll 250,000 retired city workers–and any dependents who use their insurance–in Aetna’s new Medicare Advantage plan on the first of September unless they decide on an opt-out.
A side-by-side comparison between SeniorCare and Aetna’s Medicare Advantage plan reveals that the new coverage has a lower annual deductible, is less likely to cover the very sick, and is more likely to deny coverage inappropriately. The new plan will also offer some benefits (such as routine hearing and vision exams, hearing aids, and telemedicine mental health care) that were not covered previously, however.
Mayor Adams said via a spokesperson that City Hall and the Municipal Labor Committee worked to negotiate a favorable contract with Aetna, while also hearing the concerns of retirees, several of whom protested the decision.
“This Medicare Advantage Plan is in the best interests of retirees and taxpayers. We thank the MLC for their steadfast partnership throughout this process,” he added, with other administration officials having rebutted criticism.
