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50 Years as the Voice of the Retired Public Employee

Founded in the fall of 1968, Mass Retirees has served as the lead advocates for all Massachusetts retired public employees for the past 50 years.

From the Association’s humble beginnings, our mission has been to represent the interests of all public retirees at the state, local and federal levels of government. Our focus is public pension, Social Security, Medicare and retiree healthcare policy, for which Mass Retirees has become widely recognized for our expertise.

GIC Open Enrollment & Annual PAC Drive Begins

March 31, 2023: It is very hard to believe that today is the end of March. For what is normally the longest month of the year, time has flown by so far in 2023!

April represents the start of what will be a four-month sprint, before the August summer legislative recess. And in just four weeks’ time, the House of Representative will have finalized its version of the FY24 State Budget – in which we are making every effort to include a State and Teacher retiree COLA base increase.

Governor Healey Files First Budget Proposal

Expands Pension Funding & Proposes 3% COLA

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2023: Governor Maura Healey has filed her first state budget proposal, formally kicking off the FY24 budget process.

The $55.5 billion “spending blueprint” focuses on taming the high cost of living in Massachusetts, while investing heavily in the state’s future. This includes a new three-year appropriation schedule for the Commonwealth’s Pension Liability Fund, which funds both the State and Teachers’ Retirement Systems.

Local COLA News

WEEKLY REPORT FOR FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2023: Between the President’s Day holiday and school vacation week, there is not much to report in terms of legislative or health insurance news. We will have a lot to say about retiree health insurance following the GIC’s insurance premium meeting next Thursday (3/2/2023).

Meanwhile, I would like to bring attention back to the ongoing work to improve COLA benefits for public retirees – particularly the ongoing success we are witnessing at the local level.

State treasurers warn of pension fund, 401(k) damage if debt ceiling breached

By BRIAN CROCE

Pensions & Investments

A group of 11 state treasurers and the comptrollers of Maryland and New York City are calling on House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., "to cooperate in increasing the debt limit of our country in a timely manner," in order to prevent economic chaos.

No Deal On WEP

Congressional Budget Agreement Does Not Include Social Security Fix

December 20, 2022: Christmas did not come early for public retirees. Late last night, Mass Retirees and TRTA officials received word from Congressional leaders that they were not able to achieve a bipartisan deal to reform the Social Security Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). The $1.7 trillion federal omnibus bill will move forward without tackling WEP or GPO.

Big news on GIC & Social Security

Do you remember when I said that December would be a busy month? It turns out that things have been even busier than I anticipated – which is saying something.

I have three things to report to you this week:

Our Central Mass. area meeting takes place today (Friday) at 11AM
Breaking news from the GIC on the selection of CVSHealth as the pharmacy benefits manager (PBM) for both Medicare and non-Medicare plans
The latest news on our efforts to pass a Social Security WEP reform bill in 2022

GIC SELECTS CVS AS FY24 PHARMACY MANAGER

INCLUDES MEDICARE & NON-MEDICARE PLANS

DECEMBER 15, 2022: The Group Insurance Commission held the final monthly commission meeting of the year on December 15^th. A major piece of business on the agenda was the selection of Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM).

Urgent Call to Action on WEP Reform

Time to Act is Now!

December 1, 2022: Let me get right to the point. If you are subjected to the Social Security Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), now is the time for you to join me in demanding Congress pass a reform law in 2022 that will bring needed relief from the WEP.

Major retiree health insurance news

October 21, 2022: Thursday brought some highly anticipated news to the 460,000 enrollees covered by the state’s Group Insurance Commission (GIC). After months of closed-door work to review and score the winning bids from respondents through the procurement process, the GIC unveiled the 4 Medicare and 7 non-Medicare health insurance plans to be offered starting in FY24.

Retirees

Public Employees

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.