* Warning: This is an unofficial, introductory copy of the bill.
The official copy considered by the City Council is the first reader copy.
Introductory*
City of Baltimore
Council Bill R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmember Clarke
A Resolution Entitled
A Council Resolution concerning
title
Investigative Hearing - Prescription Drug Coverage Cuts
For the purpose of requesting that the Department of Finance, Health Department, the Bureau of the Budget and Management Research, the Employees’ Retirement System, the Fire & Police Employees’ Retirement System, and the Office of The Comptroller brief the City Council on the scheduled 2020 termination of prescription drug coverage for all Baltimore City employee retirees.
body
Recitals
In 2014, the Baltimore City Department of Finance and Bureau of Budget Management wrote
into the Baltimore City budget that prescription drug benefits for Medicare-eligible City retirees will sunset in 2020. This raises questions and concerns for retirees and current City employees alike.
The Fiscal 2015 Preliminary Budget Plan states that the sunset will occur at the same time as
federal prescription drug coverage becomes available through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The budget plan mentions no alternative options if the ACA is no longer operational in 2020. It is unclear how these changes will both aid the City budget and avoid placing an additional fiscal burden on retirees by raising overall Medicare costs if no federal coverage is available.
Some retirees are also concerned with the lack of communication from the City. While the City did send around letters to retirees in 2014 notifying them of the pending change, many retirees did not fully understand the implications of the letters and what steps they could take to keep their prescription drugs once City-subsidized drug coverage is suspended. Some are completely unaware of the coming drug cuts and therefore cannot plan the remainder of their retirement accordingly. The failure to adequately express these changes to both current retirees, employees, and the general public has made the decision more opaque and difficult to understand.
In order for these coming changes to be fully understood and accepted by Baltimore City retirees, employees, and the general public, the departments responsible for these decisions must think critically about the full implications of what’s to come in 2020. It appears that coming changes to Medicare must be further publicized and questions and concerns of Baltimoreans must be addressed for these systems to be implemented with adequate fairness to those affected.
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the City Council of Baltimore, That the Council requests that the Department of Finance, the Health Department, the Bureau of the Budget and Management Research, the Employees’ Retirement System, the Fire & Police Employees’ Retirement System, and the Office of The Comptroller brief it on the scheduled 2020 termination of prescription drug coverage for all Baltimore City employee retirees.
And be it further resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor, the Director of Finance, the Budget Director, the Health Commissioner, the Executive Director of the Employees’ Retirement System, the Executive Director of the Fire & Police Employees’ Retirement System, the Comptroller, and the Mayor’s Legislative Liaison to the City Council.