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Retirees press lawmakers to restore state prescription benefit under HB 6-96; sponsor cites promise to long-term state workers
Summary
Hundreds of retirees and advocate groups told the Appropriations Committee that replacing the state prescription program with Medicare Part D raised out-of-pocket costs and left many low-income retirees struggling; Delegate Robin Grammer asked for a favorable report on HB 6-96 to reinstate coverage for retirees hired before July 1, 2011.
Delegate Robin Grammer presented HB 6-96, which would restore the prescription-drug benefit and certain state health-and-welfare plan coverages for employees and retirees who vested before 07/01/2011. The sponsor said many long-serving state employees relied on the promise of continued prescription coverage in retirement and that restoration would "right a wrong." He cited constituent letters describing life-saving drugs whose costs now fall on fixed incomes.
Retirees and retiree groups described…
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