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Sunday, April 01, 2018

Senate bill would force Postal Service retirees onto Medicare

U.S. Postal Service annuitants would be forced to enroll in Medicare alongside their standard health benefits program if a bipartisan bill introduced last week passes Congress.

The Postal Service Reform Act of 2018, introduced March 23, aims to reverse the net losses USPS has reported in its finances for the past 11 years. But the bill has received mixed reviews from advocates for federal employees who fear other government workers might one day be impacted.

National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association president Richard G. Thissen called the bill an attempt to “balance the books of the United States Postal service on the backs of postal retirees.”

A retiree may have to pay another $1,600 or more per year in Medicare premiums, according to Thissen.

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16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Finally! USPS has been hemorrhaging from a funds standpoint for YEARS. Welcome to the 21st Century as it pertains to health care and what the rest of we Fed retirees do after 65 - Medicare with our secondary health plan to clean up the rest!

Sheesh!

Anonymous said...

MAGA. Stealing from old people.

Anonymous said...

its about time! Why do certain government and quasi-government entities still offering redundant benefits to their employees, who often start using them as early as their early 50s???
Why??? Because it's other peoples money. that's why.

Anonymous said...

Then retired senators should have to do the same!!

Anonymous said...

The USPS needs a huge overhaul. It's run like a failing business that can never go into bankruptcy, a dreamworld scenario.

Anonymous said...

Why would Postal Service retirees not enroll in Medicare? Do they have some special insurance that covers them forever?

Anonymous said...

A single care system for all gov't employees, period. No more waste!

Anonymous said...

You make it sound like government employees get free health care. They don't. Money is taken out of your pay check every 2weeks for Medicare. The amount is based on your salary. When you retire you sign up for Medicare because if you don't and you need it later in life you will be penalized 50 percent. So to avoid the penalty you pay Medicare Quarterly based on your salary. In addition you need to find a alternative insurance to pay what Medicare does not pay. Nothing is free. The only waste I have seen is in Doctors abusing the system. I certainly would like to Know what insurance you have earned the right to use if any.

Anonymous said...

The US government is bankrupt.
Put a fork in it.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
its about time! Why do certain government and quasi-government entities still offering redundant benefits to their employees, who often start using them as early as their early 50s???
Why??? Because it's other peoples money. that's why.

March 28, 2018 at 1:54 PM

No it's not other peoples money, they worked for it.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Why would Postal Service retirees not enroll in Medicare? Do they have some special insurance that covers them forever?

March 28, 2018 at 4:43 PM

Because Medicare sucks and not every doctor takes it.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
You make it sound like government employees get free health care. They don't. Money is taken out of your pay check every 2weeks for Medicare. The amount is based on your salary. When you retire you sign up for Medicare because if you don't and you need it later in life you will be penalized 50 percent. So to avoid the penalty you pay Medicare Quarterly based on your salary. In addition you need to find a alternative insurance to pay what Medicare does not pay. Nothing is free. The only waste I have seen is in Doctors abusing the system. I certainly would like to Know what insurance you have earned the right to use if any.

March 28, 2018 at 8:38 PM

The biggest abusers in this country of Medicare is ambulance/EMS services. Look at the Medicare fraud with the whistleblower Arvey guy from Parsonsburg against his employer Hart to Heart Ambulance and PRMC.

Hell, the Salisbury Fire Department and the City of Salisbury has been committing Medicare Fraud for many years. Before I left Salisbury to go to work in Ocean City, Jerry Bennett was making us fill out our trip sheets to make it sound like the bullsh!t ambulance call was "medically necessary" and the patient had to be transported lying down. He tried to make us lie on our EMS runsheets so the Salisbury Fire Department could get paid. It's all about money and greed. When I worked for Salisbury EMS just about every "patient" didn't need an ambulance and could have gone by personal vehicle. Now most ambulance calls aren't required and now the taxpayers are paying for firemen in a fire truck to chase the ambulance that isn't needed just to justify a paid firemens job.

Tell me that isn't FRAUD.

Anonymous said...

The biggest abusers in this country of Medicare is ambulance/EMS services. Look at the Medicare fraud with the whistleblower Arvey guy from Parsonsburg against his employer Hart to Heart Ambulance and PRMC.

Hell, the Salisbury Fire Department and the City of Salisbury has been committing Medicare Fraud for many years. Before I left Salisbury to go to work in Ocean City, Jerry Bennett was making us fill out our trip sheets to make it sound like the bullsh!t ambulance call was "medically necessary" and the patient had to be transported lying down. He tried to make us lie on our EMS runsheets so the Salisbury Fire Department could get paid. It's all about money and greed. When I worked for Salisbury EMS just about every "patient" didn't need an ambulance and could have gone by personal vehicle. Now most ambulance calls aren't required and now the taxpayers are paying for firemen in a fire truck to chase the ambulance that isn't needed just to justify a paid firemens job.

Tell me that isn't FRAUD.

Anonymous said...

BS. You go to work at the USPS and are given a set of benefits. You work there for 25-30 years and retire with a benefits package and pension. That is the contract/deal/understanding. There is no revising it after the fact. That is like buying house on a 30 year mortgage and 25 years into it, the bank changes the terms to benefit them.

Anonymous said...

302 said - That is like buying house on a 30 year mortgage and 25 years into it, the bank changes the terms to benefit them.

Guess you haven't had that happen to you yet...it does in this world everyday!

Anonymous said...

Don't know what witchdoctor you frequent but as a OPM retiree I have Medicare and federal BC/BS secondary and have unlimited doctor access. Oh just to throw gas on the fire between VA and federal retirement 1500/week plus free healthcare through VA. Go piss up a rope