Congress Onpostal Reform
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Volume 134/Number 6 June 2021 In this issue President’s Message 1 Branch Election Notices 35 National Officers 36 Branch Items 56 The monthly journal of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTER CARRIERS CONGRESS GOES TO WORK ON POSTAL REFORM —PAGES 6-9 InstallInstall thethe freefree NALCNALC MemberMember AppApp forfor youryour iPhoneiPhone oror AndroidAndroid smartphonesmartphone As technology increases our ability to communicate, NALC must stay ahead of the curve. We’ve now taken the next step with the NALC Member App for iPhone and Android smartphones. The app was de- veloped with the needs of letter carriers in mind. The app’s features include: • Workplace resources, including the National • Instantaneous NALC news with Agreement, JCAM, MRS and CCA resources personalized push notifications • Interactive Non-Scheduled Days calendar and social media access • Legislative tools, including bill tracker, • Much more individualized congressional representatives and PAC information GoGo to to the the App App Store Store oror GoogleGoogle Play Play and and search search forfor “NALC “NALC Member Member App”App” toto install install for for free free President’s Message Understanding Medicare integration under postal reform hanks to the biparti- as Medicare is the primary payer of health bills for those 65 and san bill H.R. 3076 that older; FEHB plans cover only the costs of deductibles and co- advanced through the pays. H.R. 3076 also would lower the cost of postal FEHB plans House of Representa- by requiring such plans to take advantage of Medicare Part D tives Committee on subsidies for health plans that provide prescription drug bene- TOversight and Reform in May, fits—subsidies that are available to company health plans in the there is genuine hope for suc- private sector. cess in achieving some of our Of course, about 8 out of 10 retired letter carriers already most important legislative priori- choose to enroll in Medicare Parts A and B when they become ties (see story on page 6). The bill eligible, so the proposed changes in the FEHB Program will not includes three important provi- be especially dramatic. All the major plans will remain available, sions: a reform of the Federal Em- including the market-dominant Blue Cross Blue Shield plan and ployees Health Benefits (FEHB) the NALC Health Benefit Plan. Program that would allow the We have worked hard with allies in Congress to shape the leg- Postal Service and its employees islation in ways that address employees and annuitants who are and retirees to maximize savings in special circumstances. First, in the rare event that no postal on health insurance costs via in- plan is available to a participant (in highly rural places, for exam- tegration with Medicare on a pro- ple), he or she can enroll in a non-postal FEHB plan. Second, if a spective basis; a repeal of the re- Fredric V. postal employee’s current health plan does not offer a postal ver- tiree health pre-funding mandate sion of that plan, he or she can stay in that non-postal plan. How- Rolando (as provided by the USPS Fairness ever, if the employee ever switches plans, he or she may choose Act); and a provision to make six-day delivery of mail and pack- any of the postal plans. Third, if a future annuitant lives abroad or ages a statutory obligation (currently, it is enforced by an appro- in a place where there are no Medicare providers, enrollment in priations bill that must be renewed annually). a non-postal plan will be available. Similarly, if a future annuitant This month, I want to focus on what we have done to shape the has coverage from Veterans Affairs or the Indian Health Service FEHB and Medicare provisions to protect the interests of our mem- and therefore does not need Medicare, he or she may enroll in bers, both active and retired. The health care reforms outlined in a non-postal FEHB plan. Finally, the bill includes a one-time op- H.R. 3076 would lower the cost of health insurance under FEHB portunity for post-age-65 annuitants who chose not to enroll in for active and retired postal employees alike, which would help Medicare Part B at age 65 to do so, with no late enrollment pen- both the Postal Service and its current and former employees. This alty, by choosing a postal plan in FEHB. This will be a great benefit would improve the Postal Service’s net income and make the bil- for annuitants who regret not having enrolled in Part B at age 65, lions in funds deposited in our retiree health fund last longer (be- since the penalties are very stiff (raising Part B premiums 10 per- fore the Postal Service returns to the pay-as-you-go system of fund- cent for each year after age 65). ing retiree health premiums that existed before 2007). Enacting H.R. 3076 is going to be hard work. There is a long The bill would place most postal participants in FEHB into one way to go. The bill must be considered by two other House com- insurance pool (separate from other federal employees and annui- mittees that share jurisdiction over the Medicare program (Ways tants) and require most existing FEHB insurers to offer postal and and Means as well as Energy and Commerce), go to the House non-postal versions of their plans. Most active postal employees floor for a vote and then pass the Senate, where it must with- (those under age 64 as of Jan. 1, 2023) would automatically be stand possible filibusters. Thanks to the work of our commit- enrolled in the new postal plans in 2023, which will include au- tee’s chairwoman, Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), and its ranking tomatic enrollment in Medicare Part A (hospital services) and Part member, Rep. James Comer (R-KY), who together co-sponsored B (medical services) once they retire and reach age 65. Current H.R. 3076, we are off to a good bipartisan start—the bill won the annuitants and employees aged 64 or older (as of Jan. 1, 2023) unanimous support of committee Democrats and Republicans. may decide whether or not to enroll in Medicare, and can there- As we move forward, we must mobilize active and retired letter fore choose to remain in non-postal plans if they decline Medicare. carriers alike to push their representatives in Washington to work Fortunately, the cost of these non-postal plans would not rise as a together to finally make postal reform a reality after a decade and result of this reform. Annuitants who choose to enroll in the postal a half of struggle. Watch this space. plans would automatically be enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B. Having future annuitants enrolled in Medicare would reduce the cost of FEHB premiums for all participants in the postal pool, June 2021 The Postal Record 1 Cover illustration by Jim Starr National Association of Letter Carriers, AFL-CIO Contents Since 1889, representing city letter carriers employed by the United States Postal Service. Volume 134/Number 6 June 2021 100 Indiana Ave. NW Washington, DC 20001-2144 202-393-4695 | nalc.org RESIDENT OFFICERS FREDRIC V. ROLANDO MANUEL L. PERALTA JR. President Director of Safety and Health BRIAN RENFROE DAN TOTH The monthly journal of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTER CARRIERS Executive Vice President Director of Retired Members LEW DRASS JAMES W. “JIM” YATES Vice President Director of Life Insurance NICOLE RHINE Mutual Benefit Association Secretary-Treasurer 202-638-4318 PAUL BARNER STEPHANIE M. STEWART Assistant Secretary-Treasurer Director, Health Benefit Plan CHRISTOPHER JACKSON Health Benefit Plan Director of City Delivery 888-636-6252 BOARD OF TRUSTEES LAWRENCE D. BROWN JR. 774 Valencia Street Los Angeles, CA 90017 MIKE GILL MACK I. JULION 18682 SW 93 Court 3850 S. Wabash Ave. Cutler Bay, FL 33157 Chicago, IL 60653 NATIONAL BUSINESS AGENTS Region 1: BRYANT ALMARIO Region 9: LYNNE PENDLETON (California, Hawaii, Nevada, Guam) (Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, 3105 E. Guasti Road, Suite 200 South Carolina) Ontario, CA 91761 1101 Northchase Parkway SE, Suite 3 909-443-7450 Marietta, GA 30067 678-942-5295 Region 2: NICK VAFIADES 32 (Alaska, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Region 10: JAVIER BERNAL Oregon, Washington) (New Mexico, Texas) 5115 NE 94th Ave., Suite A 23760 Hwy. 59 North Departments Features Vancouver, WA 98662 Kingwood, TX 77339 360-892-6545 281-540-5627 1 President’s Message 4 News from Washington Region 3: MICHAEL B. CAREF Region 11: MARK CAMILLI 3 Letter from the Editor Senate committee confirms two (Illinois) (Upstate New York, Ohio) 4 News 4979 Indiana Ave., Suite 203 5445 Beavercrest Drive, Suite 7 USPS BOG nominations; mean- Lisle, IL 60532-3848 Lorain, OH 44053 26 Proud to Serve while, the White House releases 630-743-5320 440-282-4340 30 Veterans Group the American Families Plan, and a Region 4: DAN VERSLUIS Region 12: BRIAN THOMPSON 35 Election Notices paid family and medical leave bill (Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, (Pennsylvania, South and Central 36 Executive Vice President Oklahoma, Wyoming) New Jersey) is introduced in the Senate 12015 E. 46th Ave., Suite 550 Four Neshaminy Interplex, Suite 111 37 Vice President Denver, CO 80239 Trevose, PA 19053 6 Congress looks at postal reform 720-828-6840 215-824-4826 38 Secretary-Treasurer 39 Assistant Secretary-Treasurer During a period of intense public Region 5: MICHAEL BIRKETT Region 13: VADA E. PRESTON 40 Director of City Delivery scrutiny of the Postal Service, (Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas) (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West House lawmakers introduce the 1828 Craig Road Virginia, Washington, DC) 41 Director of Safety and Health St.