News Briefs: City of New York Appeals Court Decision on Retiree Switch to Group Medicare Advantage

New York City is appealing a recent ruling by the New York Supreme Court that bars the city from imposing a premium on public sector retirees who opt out of group Medicare Advantage coverage that starts April 1. Anthem, Inc. was initially contracted to provide MA coverage to an estimated 200,000 retirees and dependents for a Jan. 1 effective date. Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Lyle Frank on March 3 ruled that automatic enrollment of beneficiaries cannot start until April 1, retirees must be able to opt out of the new coverage up to three months after the effective date, and they do not have to pay a fee to retain their traditional Medicare coverage. The city’s attempt to charge $191 monthly is in violation of New York City law, which requires the municipal employer to “pay the entire cost of health insurance coverage for city employees, city retirees and their dependents,” Frank ruled. The city’s Office of Labor Relations on March 4 filed an appeal; the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees at press time had filed a cross-appeal and was gathering signatures for a petition urging Mayor Eric Adams (D) not to pursue the appeal.

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• Radar on Medicare Advantage