magnolia72
Well-known member
Can someone explain this to me? Is she talking “Medicare for all” or is she referring to retired carriers? All of the retired carriers I know are on Medicare.
I think what you're referring to is the Medicare Integration Plan. So right now since I'm retired when I hit 65 I'll get Medicare (everyone does)(part A) for major stuff like hospital stays and surgery etc. But I can keep my FEHB (blue cross/shield) and it will continue to cover doctor visits, tests, xrays and prescription drugs and that costs me $159 per month. What they want to do is no longer pay the USPS portion for my FEHB so I then have to buy Medicare Part B which covers doctors, tests, etc. I'll also have to buy Medicare Part D to cover my prescription drugs. Or I could buy Medicare Part C which is a managed care set up that covers most everything that Medicare Part A does not cover. Totally confusing! Anyway you look at it if they take away my FEHB I'll probably end up paying more.Can someone explain this to me? Is she talking “Medicare for all” or is she referring to retired carriers? All of the retired carriers I know are on Medicare.
The PO was prepaying for Retirement, not healthcare.I think what you're referring to is the Medicare Integration Plan. So right now since I'm retired when I hit 65 I'll get Medicare (everyone does)(part A) for major stuff like hospital stays and surgery etc. But I can keep my FEHB (blue cross/shield) and it will continue to cover doctor visits, tests, xrays and prescription drugs and that costs me $159 per month. What they want to do is no longer pay the USPS portion for my FEHB so I then have to buy Medicare Part B which covers doctors, tests, etc. I'll also have to buy Medicare Part D to cover my prescription drugs. Or I could buy Medicare Part C which is a managed care set up that covers most everything that Medicare Part A does not cover. Totally confusing! Anyway you look at it if they take away my FEHB I'll probably end up paying more.
Think about it, if all of the retirees are on Medicare and no longer on FEHB then there's no reason to have any pre funding for retiree healthcare.
The single biggest thing that has caused the PO to be broke is the 5-6 BILLION yearly they're required to pre pay for retiree healthcare.
All I heard was "we're broke and we are going to stick it to ya again".
As PastOThirty pointed out the PO has continued to fully fund their pension obligations. (but not the healthcare part) The PAEA act of 2006 required that the PO pre pay BILLIONS (about 5.5 billion) every year to fund health care benefit costs for retirees far into the future. Prior to this it had been paying on a pay as you go basis.The PO was prepaying for Retirement, not healthcare.
This bit about medicare integration is another example of management by stupidity... Just like when we were forced to prepay healthcare to make the books look good... Forcing retirees to get medicare might save usps money but will bankrupt the medicare fund real damn fast..
But what is the big todo about retiree healthcare.... usps's portion is already there in the prefunding account..
Follow the money.....If usps can force retirees to pay for medicare then the exposure to the prefunding account goes way down....Oh..what should usps do with all that money that would now be freed up?... Why just bring the billions back to the general account so usps management can waste it on hairbrained schemes...
It's a big con game and the unions have blindfolds on...
Not only is it a screw job , but it is the opening shot in the battle to put all federal retirees on Medicare. Beware federal employees, you are next. Btw, what do you think the chances are that Congress might force themselves onto Medicare? Slim and none?