Latest News

Legislature Approves Increase in Retiree Part-Time Work

Now Awaiting Governor’s Approval

JULY 19, 2018: The recently passed State Budget includes a section increasing the hourly restriction on part-time work to 1,200 hours a year. This measure applies to public retirees who return to part-time work with either the state or local government within Massachusetts.

Mass Retirees partnered with the Mass Police Association to spearhead the statutory change, which effectively amounts to 23 hours a week. Current law limits public retirees to just 960 hours annually, or 18.5 hours a week.

State Budget Deal Reached

3% State & Teacher COLA Retroactive to July 1

JULY 18, 2018: House and Senate budget negotiators have reached agreement finalizing the $41.88 billion FY19 State Budget. Both branches of the legislature approved the budget today. Governor Charlie Baker now has 10 days in which to review the document, before taking executive action.

In passing the budget, the legislature has approved a full 3% COLA on a $13,000 base for State and Teacher retirees, who retired prior to July 1, 2017.

Celebrating 50 Years of Advocacy & Service

No Action Taken on Life Insurance & Moratorium Fix

Formal Legislative Session Ends July 31^st

JUNE 25, 2018: Despite the best efforts of our legislative team, as well as a wide array of union lobbyists, Mass Retirees’ amendments to the House’s Health Care Reform bill (H4617) failed to be adopted. Of the 171 total amendments filed, only 25 were successfully adopted during last week’s debate in the House.

LOCAL & TEACHER RETIREES: WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW!

JUNE 19, 2018: Mass Retirees is calling for your immediate help in advocating for our legislation that will permanently protect local retirees from future increases in the percentage of the health insurance premium that you must pay. Today, the House will begin debate on the H4617, a bill relative to healthcare reform in Massachusetts and consider an amendment that provides this basic protection to all local retirees – including retired teachers.

Raise the Death Benefit

Mass Retirees Call on House to Increase Basic Life Insurance: Adopt Amendment #99

State retirees and active employees are urged to contact their State Representative and ask that they support AND vote to adopt Amendment #99 to H4617. This proposal would increase the state’s Basic Life Insurance benefit to $10,000, utilizing a small portion of the Group Insurance Commission’s projected $99 Million surplus as a funding source.

Once Again State Pension Fund One of the Best

Mass. pension fund enjoyed highest return from private equity investments of any in country

By Jon Chesto, GLOBE STAFF MAY 23, 2018

The Massachusetts state pension fund is tops in its field when it comes to picking winners in the difficult world of private equity investments.

Senate Approves Change to Retiree Work Restrictions

Increases Annual Hour Limit to 1,200

May 22, 2018: The State Senate has voted to increase the hourly limit placed on retirees who return to part-time public service for a state or local entity in Massachusetts. Senators Michael Rodrigues (D-Westport) and Paul Feeney (D-Foxboro) cosponsored the measure as an amendment to the FY19 Budget, now under debate in the Senate.

Trump thanks federal employees with $143.5 billion in retirement cuts

By Joe Davidson, Washington Post

President Trump really knows how to say thank you.

Just as festivities geared up for Public Service Recognition Week, which began Sunday, his administration sent a letter to Congress proposing $143.5 billion in compensation cuts for federal employees.

'Disappointing' End to State Budget Amendment Attempt

Focus Now Rests With Health Care Reform Legislation

April 27, 2018: On the fourth day of debate within the House of Representatives on the FY19 State Budget, Mass Retirees officials received disappointing news – the amendment pertaining to the State Basic Life Insurance was not adopted.

Push to Increase State Retiree’s Life Insurance Benefit

Last Raised In 1985 – Retirees Urged to Call State Reps

April 23, 2018 – Mass Retirees has launched an all-out push to increase Basic Life Insurance benefits for state retirees and employees. The current $5,000 benefit was established 33-years ago in 1985.

House Budget Debate Begins April 23rd

Retirees Back Life & Health Insurance Amendments

April 18, 2018: Mass Retirees backs four amendments to the FY19 budget, which is set to be debated in the House beginning April 23^rd. The amendments range from increasing the basic state life insurance, protecting against increases in local health insurance contribution percentages, lifting hourly restrictions on part-time work in public service and granting Mass Retirees a seat on the state’s Group Insurance Commission.

As Open Enrollment Begins, GIC Begins Planning for 2019

Governance, Transparency and Affordability Top Issues

April 5, 2018: Open enrollment is now underway for retirees enrolled in the state’s Group Insurance Commission. All changes take effect on July 1, 2018. The open enrollment period runs through May 2^ndand coincides with GIC’s thirteen regional health fairs.

Retired Municipal Teachers Insurance Program Saved

Legislature & Governor Take Quick Action to Avoid Premium Spike

March 27, 2018: At the urging of the Group Insurance Commission and Mass Retirees, the State Legislature and Governor Baker worked together to quickly head off a pending nightmare for the 10,000 teachers participating in the state’s Retired Municipal Teacher (RMT) Program.

LEGIS, BAKER ACT TO SAVE RETIRED TEACHERS ON HEALTH INSURANCE

Urgent legislation required to spare a group of retired public employees, mostly teachers, from a spike in health care costs next year sped through the legislative chambers on Monday and Gov. Charlie Baker quickly signed his name to the bill he filed just over a week ago. The new law will merge roughly 10,000 retirees into the main pool of Group Insurance Commission members, enabling them to avoid cost spikes, according to the governor and GIC officials.

Legislation Moving For RMT Insurance Fix

Mass Retirees Joins GIC in Calling For Swift Action

March 20, 2018: The closing minutes of winter 2018 marked a joint effort by the Group Insurance Commission and Mass Retirees to pass emergency legislation to merge the GIC’s two insurance pools.

BILL POISED FOR FAST TRACK TO AVOID HEALTH INSURE $$$ SPIKE FOR RETIRED TEACHERS

By Matt Murphy
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE

STATE HOUSE, BOSTON, MARCH 20, 2018....House and Senate leaders said Tuesday they will try to quickly pass a bill filed by Gov. Charlie Baker, perhaps as soon as this week, in an effort to avoid steep health insurance premium spikes for nearly 1,000 retired teachers and elderly government retirees.

Retired Municipal Teacher Reform Legislation Filed

Mass Retirees Urges Quick Action

March 16, 2018: Prompted by Mass Retirees’ calls for reform of the Group Insurance Commission’s Retired Municipal Teacher (RMT) Program, legislation has been filed today by Governor Baker that places RMT enrollees in the same insurance pool (Pool 1) as other state and local retirees. Association officials are now calling upon Legislative Leadership to act quickly on this before the GIC’s Open Enrollment begins on April 4.

Cigna to Buy Express Scripts in $52 Billion Health Care Deal

The health insurance giant Cigna said on Thursday that it had agreed to buy Express Scripts, the nation’s largest pharmacy benefit manager, in a $52 billion deal that could further reshape the roiling health care landscape.

The Real Reason the Investor Class Hates Pensions

By DAVID WEBBER, New York Times MARCH 5, 2018

No issue in America today better illustrates the divergent interests of working Americans and the 1 percent than pension reform. Substantial empirical evidence shows that America’s favored retirement vehicle — the 401(k), recently renounced by its own inventors — is grossly inadequate and will leave tens of millions of Americans with insufficient retirement assets.

Push For WEP Reform Continues

National Coalition Meets in DC

FEBRUARY 27, 2018: Key representatives from states impacted by the Social Security Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) met in Washington, DC this week, as pressure to pass reform legislation continues to mount.

Mass Retirees joined key WEP reform ally, the 88,000 member-strong Texas Retired Teachers Association, for the annual meeting of the Coalition to Preserve Retirement Security. CPRS is a national organization of public retirement system and advocacy group officials from non-Social Security states.

After health-insurance controversy, most public workers to avoid large premium increases

By Priyanka Dayal McCluskey GLOBE STAFF FEBRUARY 22, 2018

Massachusetts public employees and retirees received an unusual bit of good news from state officials Thursday: their health insurance premiums are not rising significantly — and costs for many will actually decrease.

GIC Health Plan Rates Hold Steady For FY19

Many Retirees Will See Lower Premiums

February 22, 2018: Today, the state’s Group Insurance Commission (GIC) approved health plan premiums for FY19. For the first time in recent memory, the average increase across all six GIC health plans is zero percent.

Beginning in June, the majority of retirees enrolled in GIC health plans will see a slight decrease in their monthly insurance premiums. For both retirees and active employees, the inflationary and premium rates vary by health plan.

GIC To Announce Insurance Premiums Thursday

No Major Increases or Changes Expected

FEBRUARY 21, 2018: The state’s Group Insurance Commission (GIC) is scheduled to meet this Thursday to set health, life and dental insurance premiums for FY19, which begins on July 1.

On average premium insurances are anticipated to increase less than 2% across the six health insurance providers offered by the GIC. Those providers are Fallon, Harvard Pilgrim, Health New England, Neighborhood Health Plan, Tufts and UniCare.

Retiree Legislation On The Move

5 Key Issues Advanced By Public Service Committee

Association members received good news this month when the Joint Committee on Public Service favorably released five key bills filed by Mass Retirees. The bills apply to the veterans bonus, basic life insurance, Option C recalculation, post retirement earnings, and the right of surviving spouses to retain health insurance benefits upon remarriage.

Ralph White Since 1968 the Retired State, County and Municipal Employees Association has been the leading voice for Massachusetts public retirees and their families. Join with our 52,000 members as we continue the fight.