By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
LITTLE VALLEY — Cattaraugus County government retirees are expected to attend today’s (Wednesday’s) County Legislature meeting to protest a proposed change to their health insurance coverage.
Social media blew up late Tuesday with a warning from the local CSEA president that county legislators plan to introduce a resolution at today’s meeting for immediate consideration that would implement a significant change that has not been negotiated.
Sherri Ambuske, president of CSEA Local 1000, who represents the general bargaining unit, took to Facebook Tuesday to explain the developing situation and ask retirees to show up at the legislature’s meeting at 5 o’clock today.
“Currently, our contract reads that when you retire with 20 years of service you are eligible for county health insurance until the age of 65,” Ambuske explained on Facebook. “At the age 65 you will sign up for Medicare and have the county insurance secondary. Our legislature plans to eliminate the county coverage after 65 and you will solely have a Medicare Advantage Plan.”
“We’re going to sue them,” Ambuske told the Olean Star.
She emphasized “Cattaraugus county never engaged in negotiations with CSEA leadership, which is 100% required. CSEA undoubtedly is opposed to this.”
Ambuske wrote: “This cruel and arbitrary attack on our Union is only one of the many we have had to endure in the past year. This legislature has been completely decimating the county workforce for months now and now this. I will be at the Legislature tomorrow and I hope you will join me. If anyone has questions please reach out.”
By this morning, Ambuske’s Facebook post had been shared 175 times.
One retiree commented: “ Does this affect retirees that are already on Medicare and have the county insurance as our secondary? Or is this going to affect current employees after they retire?”
Ambuske replied “Both. All current retirees will lose the secondary and future (employees) won’t get it.”
Ambuske told the Olean Star that there were two short meetings when the issue of ending the retirees’ supplemental health coverage was discussed, but that there were no negotiations and union representatives did not agree to the change.
Ambuske said the county legislature’s Labor Relations Committee said the change would mean a $2.5 million savings for the county. “They haven’t given us any information to verify this.” she added. “Now they are going to rush it through as an immediate” without any discussion in committees or chance for public discussion.
The county has a self-insured health insurance plan to which employees contribute.
