Across the country, privatized Medicare Advantage plans have raised costs and worsened care for seniors. It’s inconceivable that Mayor Adams is trying to strip our city’s municipal retirees of their current health insurance and force them onto bad plans. Today, I am proud to sponsor Intro. 1096 (Marte), which would put a stop to this shameful maneuver.

My personal experience with lupus has given me far too much familiarity with our broken healthcare system. I know what it’s like to suffer as a patient while private insurance companies profit. At every level of government, we need to be strengthening our public health infrastructure, not weakening it. That’s why I champion Medicare for All in Congress, the New York Health Act in Albany, and now Intro. 1096 in City Hall. 

I am deeply grateful to the hundreds of municipal retirees in my district who have shared how important this bill is to their families. I appreciate the patience that they’ve demonstrated as I’ve done my due diligence regarding the bill text. While stakeholders I respect raised legal concerns that warranted deeper research, ultimately I must stand with my constituents whose health is being put at risk. Time and time again, the retirees have won in court. I urge the Adams Administration to end this ordeal, support the New Yorkers who helped build our city, and pass Intro. 1096 into law.

Since coming into Office, I have consistently supported municipal retirees by sponsoring a previous version of this bill, opposing harmful legislation, joining rallies, leading letters, and urging the Mayor to do the right thing. I am thrilled to continue this work today by sponsoring Intro. 1096.