Medicare D Deceit

To the Editor:

They claimed that you would save money on prescription drugs. They claimed that you would have better drug coverage with Medicare D. They claimed that there would be more flexibility, more choices, and great savings.

The City of New York lied about everything!

City retirees age 65 and over were automatically enrolled in Medicare D. There was no choice or alternative.

Drug costs compared to our previous union plans are three and four times as much under Medicare D. The formulary schedule of drugs determines which prescriptions are covered. Drugs outside the schedule are not covered.

Once enrolled you could not go back to your original drug plan. Only another Medicare drug plan would be available sometime to be determined in the near future.

Where did our union benefits disappear to? Where did the money go that previously sustained our health benefits?

The City of New York along with the drug companies jumped on the Medicare D bandwagon and took with them our contractual negotiated health benefits and monies.

Together, they perpetrated the most outrageous scam on city retirees. Where are the unions in all this? Something needs to be done. Shame on you, Mayor Bloomberg.

ALAN SCHLOSSBERG