NYSUT MARCH 3-4, 2015 E.D. 52 MEETING REPORT
DESMOND HOTEL & CONFERENCE CENTER, ALBANY, NEW YORK
MARCH 3, 2015
JOAN PERRINI: Joan welcomed those present and introduced speakers. She also congratulated Sheila Goldberg, this year’s recipient of NYSUT’s Not For Ourselves Alone Award. By acclamation, those present expressed their gratitude to Sheila and Joan for their service to the union. Joan is moving on to the position of NYSUT Retiree Consultant for Suffolk County.
PAUL PECORALE, NYSUT Vice President: cell phone number 631-312-0306;
EMAIL: ppecorale@nysutmail.org
After expressing his personal thanks to Joan Perrini for her service, Paul provided the following updates:
- The tenure issue was presented before a judge on January 14. There has been no decision as yet, but NYSUT remains confident about its defense of due process.
- If decisions on the tax cap and tax freeze are unfavorable, NYSUT will advance to the Appellate Court.
- Eight small cities in New York are suing the state for not maintaining the level of funding to public education. The case is in progress.
- Litigation is still in progress on the imposed gag order for teachers who administer or grade state tests. Teachers involved had to sign an agreement not to talk about the content of the tests.
- Retiree membership lists were emailed to R.C. presidents during the last week of January and the first week of February. Enhanced lists will eventually be sent in the format of spreadsheets that will enable revisions as needed. R.C. presidents will have to sign waivers about how the information will be used.
- There will be a rally at the R.A. in Buffalo. Details are still being worked out. Local labor groups will be involved.
- Retirees are urged to avail themselves of the services and information found at the Medicare Rights Center. They are also encouraged to continue efforts to protect the social safety net, while enlisting others to participate in those actions.
SUSAN KLUG, NYSUT Assistant in Health Benefits: Sue helps in-service locals bargain for health care benefits. Her presentation made the following points:
1. Several resources for retiree health benefits were listed, including:
- Kaiser Family Foundation (non-profit) www.kff.org
- Alliance for Retired Americans www.retiredamericans.org
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation www.rwjf.org
- Annenberg Pubic Policy Center www.factcheck.org
- Government website of the Affordable Care Act marketplace (NOT for Medicare beneficiaries) http://healthcare.gov
- Government website for Medicare beneficiaries www.Medicare.gov
- NYSHIP Empire Plan http://www.cs.ny.gov/employee-benefits
2. Regarding the Anthem security breach, retirees were reminded that Anthem will NOT email anyone. Information such as Social Security numbers or credit card numbers should not be given in emails purporting to be from Anthem. THESE ARE SCAMS. Anthem may be contacted at www.anthemfacts.com or by calling 1-877-263-7995. For more guidance on recognizing scam email, the FTC website is http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0003-phishing
3. As of this date, Carolina Healthcare has NOT reached an agreement with United Healthcare to cover physician services in hospitals or as outpatients. It is anticipated that negotiations will be successful at some time in the future.
4. Retirees were reminded of the importance of naming a health care proxy before a need arises.
ANI SHAHINIAN, LCSW, NYSUT Social Services Specialist: (518) 213-6000 ext. 6041 OR 800-342-9810; emailashahini@nysutmail.org
Ani provides personal service to NYSUT retirees, in-service members, and their families in times of crisis. Some of the areas in which Ani has provided personal assistance include:
- support in emotionally stressful times (divorce, death, illness,etc.)
- exploration of several situational options particular to individual needs
- referrals to therapists or attorneys (NOT pro bono)
- care for disabled dependents
- housing, including independent retirement living, assisted living, skilled nursing care, and continuing care retirement communities
- appeals for unpaid bills for services not covered by Medicare or health insurance (Ani will participate in conference calls in an effort to resolve conditions.)
- helping individuals sign up for Medicare Part B
- Retirees can call Ani regarding another individual at risk who is not able or is unwilling to call. Ani will pass on helpful information that can then be communicated to the person at risk.
- Ani can intercede to communicate an individual’s available NYSUT membership benefits to concerned family members when necessary.
- Regarding substance abuse issues: Most insurance companies will not pay for rehab until a patient has tried and failed in a recognized outpatient drug treatment program. This could change in the future.
Ani encouraged calls from anyone who needs help. No problem is too small or too large for her attention.
NORA MORAN, Education Associate, Medicare Rights Center: www.medicareinteractive.org/teachers or 800-633-4227
1. The Medicare Rights Center provides counseling and advocacy, educational programs and materials, and public policy initiatives.
2. Medicare provides hospice coverage for 90 days. Additional coverage is subject to doctor’s orders. In order to qualify for hospice coverage, it is expected that terminal patients are receiving only palliative care, with no curative treatments.
3. Retirees are reminded that NYSHIP/Empire members should NOT apply for Medicare Part D.
4. Hospital observation stays are now covered by Part B. HOWEVER, patients under observation will have to make a copay for EACH service rendered while under observation in the hospital.
5. Under the Affordable Care Act, there is no copay or deductible for preventive care such as diabetes screening, blood tests for certain cardiac conditions, colonoscopies, and mammograms. HOWEVER, if an issue is discovered that requires treatment, copays are assessed. There is no charge for annual wellness checks unless additional tests are performed or a diagnosis is made that requires treatment.
ANDY PALLOTTA, NYSUT Executive Vice President: Andy addressed the governor’s anti-public education agenda, making the following points about Governor Cuomo:
- He is trying to pass off TAP as state aid to CUNY/SUNY.
- He wants to judge the effectiveness of instructors and programs on the basis of student test scores.
- He attributes the decline in the number of full-time professors to poor management at the colleges, rather than to the cutting of funds to higher education.
- He has cut all student opportunity programs from his budget.
- He continues to advocate state takeovers of struggling school districts, despite the fact that those efforts have been unsuccessful.
- He thinks charter schools are the answer to everything.
- He wants to raise probation time for teachers to 5 years.
- He wants 50% of APPR to be based on student test scores. NYSUT will not accept any percentage higher than the 20% that is the current figure.
- He advocates vouchers and has taken $300 million from public education funding.
OTHER POINTS MADE BY ANDY:
- Strong advocacy efforts have helped us achieve a permanent moratorium on the field testing of state test questions.
- This year VOTE/COPE has collected over $9 million. Money has been spent on billboards to thwart Cuomo’s efforts. There have also been media ads. NYSUT has established a Call Out Cuomo Fund to collect donations to further this campaign. Checks can be made out to the fund. There is more information on the NYSUT website.
- Assembly Speaker Carl Hasting seems to be supporting our efforts and standing up to the governor.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 2015
1. Darcy spoke about the American Cancer Society’s HOPE LODGES, which provide family housing for patients seeking treatment 90 miles or more from their homes. Stays are free and may be up to 90 days. Other facilities are available for $12 a night with a reservation. Stays include the patient and one caregiver.
2. The American Cancer Society (ACS) Road to Recovery Program seeks volunteer drivers to get patients to medical appointments.
3. Darcy is available to speak to retiree councils and/or provide materials for members. Floyd Cameron should be contacted to make those arrangements.
4. March is National Colorectal Cancer Month. The ACS goal is to get 80% of the population screened by 2018. This is the third most common cancer, but one of the most preventable. Removal of polyps removes the risk of cancer. There are tests other than colonoscopies that can be done in minutes at home.
5. To help eliminate cancer risks, individuals should maintain a healthy diet, increase physical activity, limit alcohol to no more than 2 drinks a day, and eliminate all smoking.
6. The Cancer Services Program provides free screenings for pap smears, colonoscopies, and mammograms for under- and uninsured individuals.
FLORENCE McCUE, NYSUT E.D. 51-53 (At-Large) Director: cell phone: 914-715-6174; EMAIL: lawftm@al.com
1. Retiree councils have several 999s on their lists because NYSUT does not know what local these individuals retired from. Therefore, they are listed in the areas in which they reside. Florence is working to get 20% of the VOTE/COPE money contributed by these people credited to the R.C. in which they reside. This money may be used to sponsor more conferences, make banners, etc.
2. Locals are legally barred from negotiating for retirees. This also means that if they diminish in-service benefits, they cannot diminish retiree benefits.
3. There is a New York judgment that states retiree benefits can only be changed through collective bargaining with retiree groups.
4. Retirees were reminded that a power of attorney designation is only in effect while the individual making that designation lives.
5. Medicaid for seniors can be obtained through Medicare service groups as determined by needs confirmed by a physician.
6. The Office of Aging is trying to keep seniors in their residences. Concerned individuals should research the Project for Independence to get more information.
7. NYSUT currently has 207,000 retiree members. Florence is working to get more votes for retirees at the R.A. In-service representation is wary of this. Florence’s suggestion is that each retiree count as 1/3 vote. She would like input from retirees about how much of a vote she should ask for at the Board of Directors. If this goal is not accomplished at this R.A., the next R.A. will require a by-laws change to bring about a change.
ROSEMARY CATANZARITI was named E.D. 52 Director as successor to Joan Perrini after Mel Stern withdrew his nomination. Rosemary is a former Glen Cove teacher who has served many years as co-president of R.C. 19 with Louise Levine-Rosenthal. She has been involved in numerous NYSUT initiatives. In recent years, Rosemary has attended the NYSUT Civil and Human Rights Committee with Sheila Goldberg. She has promised regular reports to the councils about this committee.
EILEEN MORAN, Representative of Higher Education:
1. There has been a proposal to add a Director for Higher Education on the Board of Directors. There are mixed feelings about this and nothing is resolved yet.
2. Regarding the protection of the social safety net:
- In-service locals accept many of the myths associated with the net.
- Higher education representatives are willing to meet with locals and community groups to educate more of the public by correcting misinformation and engaging individuals in political action. They will present workshops to train individuals to be activists.
VICKERY, NYSUT Senior Accountant spoke about IRS requirements for Retiree Councils. She noted that the IRS views R.C.s as businesses, not social clubs. As a result of the Patriot Act, R.C.s must file as tax exempt. They are exempt from New York State and federal tax, but NOT sales tax. Once a council’s fiscal year has been agreed upon, it should not be changed. IRS filing is due no later than 4 ½ months after the close of the fiscal year. Retiree councils with annual gross receipts of $50,000 or less can easily file online at www.epostcard.form990.org
KAREN RHATIGAN, NYSUT Political Action Representative made the following points about the Member Action Center (MAC):
- Members should be aware of Take Action Tuesday on the MAC and participate accordingly.
- Karen conducted a walk-through of the MAC, showing
- how to access legislators and send faxes
- how to participate in actions
- how to access NYSUT media presentations
- that clicking on the MAC logo returns to main page
- that MAC also appears on Facebook
BRYAN THOMAS, NYSUT Online Communications Coordinator gave a walk-through of NYSUT on Facebook. The website link nysut.org/social media supplements the NYSUT newspaper and MAC. If access is gained on twitter.com/nysut there is no need to sign in.
DAVID KEEFE, Trustee and Vice President of the New York State Teachers’ Retirement Board gave the following pension updates:
- As of June 30, 2014, the pension fund has $108 billion in assets (57% in the marketplace, and the remainder in assets such as real estate, private equities, mortgages, and cash).
- The fund earned an 18.2% return on investments last year.
- The fund pays out $6 billion yearly to retirees---82% at a New York address.
- In the 2008 crash, the fund did not have to liquidate any assets and has since recouped its losses.
- The proposal for a Constitutional Convention was defeated in 1997. Since then, the state has done nothing to correct the problems that caused the defeat. This is a good sign that it can be defeated again in 2017.
- We want to maintain our constitutional guarantee, but it is more important that the fund is solvent and will remain so as long as New York State makes its payments to the fund---which it has done without interruption since 1921.
- If constitutional guarantees are lost, the state may choose to try to tax pensions.
- Fiscal control boards cannot touch pensions. Our pensions were paid for before we retired. Teacher Retirement System payments come directly out of the school districts’ state aid packages.
- The defined benefit pensions of current retirees are a contractual agreement and are protected legally.
(Reprinted From the Retiree Digest Member Newsletter of the Retired Teachers of Island Trees)