A Letter To The Editor 5-12-12

I sent this letter to the Governor, Senate President, Comptroller, State Delegate N. Conway., Sheila Hickson and 64 other people who have anything remotely connected to budget issues, supposedly working for the citizens of Md. this past week when I read the budge would be reviewed again the 14th. I had sent a similar letter to over 86 persons when months ago I read the not so well known proposals in the "Budget Reconciliation Act." I received NO replys. I am asking you the reader to please read the entire letter before "assuming state employees" have created this mess with teachers pensions, etc. When I read the SBY story this AM about Ms Hickson trying to exclude tax on homes owned by teachers, then police, fire fighters... I was enraged, I thank the person who commented what about the plumbers, etelctricians etc.

This is the letter I sent over the past week when the May 14 review was announced. Thank you readers for continuing to read this letter:

Subject: Most AGING retirees are unable to keep up with the cost of living due to the Governors changes in our benefit package.

May 14 THE DAY to review the budget! The Governor and his constituents have once again thrown aging State retirees under the bus! Most retirees are AFRAID OF THE OUTCOME!

Md. jobs and tax dollars were also ditched when Catalyst RX (the current state RX provider) based in Rockville were ousted as the Md provider when the Governor signed a $4.5 BILLION dollar four year deal with Express Scrips based in St. Louis Mo.

After the bud ged failed to pass an article stated "costs are still rising particularly for health care coverage and other state employee benefits which leads to a need for DRASTIC cuts"

WHOA! I BEG YOU change the rules for new hires or recent hires but remember those 65 to 85 year old retirees who already worked for 30 to 40 years for less as they were led to believe that after 30 or 40 years would have a small pension and affordable health care.

Retirees do PAY monthly for insurance it is NOT FREE! In two years our RX and Health coverage deductibles are costing us $4500 a year more than three years ago. And we did not get a raise!

That deductible is the SAME FOR CEOS at DHMH DMV STATE ROADS etc and other agency department heads who made THE BIG BUCKS and BIGGER PENSIONS than the lady who sweated out 30 to 40 years in a laundry without AC providing clean linens for 1000s of Eastern Shoremen cared for at Deers Head Center Hospital.

From the Ocean City Trimpers, to the Ward Brothers, To Mayor Martins family, and all the wonderful Shore farmers and watermen ALL WERE TREATED equally and well!

That is NOT how the Governor is treating those care givers in THEIR TIME OF NEED! We as citizens are also paying for services such as septic, gas as every other Md citizen as well.

PLEASE at least put the deductible on a sliding scale! As an Rn I taught patients never stop taking their cholesterol meds thus hopefully avoiding more costly medical care. The copay on Vytorin is $50. now many will have to choose between meds or gas for the car.

A few months ago I sent 80 similar emails to every email address in the Annapolis House and Senate and NO ON replied. This is my last shot at getting SOMEONE to take another look at what has hit those already retired.

I didn't even get a ROBO call from Dr Andy Harris who if you remember during orientation week complained his family had to wait 28 days to be insured. WHAT ARE HIS BENEFITS compared to ours?