Retirees Demand a Health Care Fix in New York City

The city’s promise to retirees that their health care would stay solid after 30 years of service is now shaky. A former crossing guard who spent three decades on the job has seen his trusted medication coverage slip through the cracks since January 1, when the city switched to a new UnitedHealthcare plan.

The change was supposed to streamline benefits for municipal workers, retirees before 65 and their families. Instead, it has thrown thousands into confusion. Calls to pharmacies, unions and the Office of Labor Relations go unanswered; the listed phone number is dead. Retirees are left guessing whether their doctors and prescriptions remain covered.

This isn’t an isolated case. Many retirees suffer from chronic illnesses that depend on reliable medication and routine care. The new plan’s lack of clear guidance risks breaking the continuity that these workers relied on after years of public service.

The city has already faced a battle over Medicare Advantage, which retirees won last summer. Yet the current shift feels like another threat to their health security. The city’s attempt to cut costs by moving retirees onto a different insurer shows a willingness to gamble with people who helped build the city.

Retirees deserve transparent communication and solid safeguards before any health plan transition. The current approach treats them as an afterthought, leaving basic questions unanswered:

• Will my doctor still be covered?
• Will my medication stay approved?
• Will my treatment stop?

City leadership must pause, listen and correct the broken system. The promise of stability in retirement is a deal that should be honored, not ignored.