New Union Retiree Organization Fights for Seniors

In May, the AFL-CIO launched the Alliance for Retired Americans to give retirees a new means to influence national affairs and improve programs and services available to senior citizens. Open to all retirees, the Alliance’s long-term goal is to become the country’s leading voice for older Americans by “engaging in important political battles to protect and preserve programs vital to the health and economic security of older Americans,” according to its Mission Statement.

The Alliance plans to accomplish its mission by tapping into the experience, knowledge, and energy of the more than 2.5 million retired union members. George J. Kourpias, retired head of the International Association of Machinists and President of the Alliance notes that, “Just as working union members know from experience that there is strength in numbers, so is the case with retirees.”

One of the first battles the Alliance is taking up in the 107th Congress is the need for prescription drugs for seniors. Specifically, the Alliance will fight for:

• Universal coverage for all who qualify for Medicare benefits.
• A comprehensive benefit to include the most current and effective treatments and quality controls.
• Voluntary enrollment that would allow those with superior benefits to remain in their employer’s plan while assuring enrollment later for persons facing erosion or loss of their current drug benefit.
• Affordable premiums and co-pays and protection from high out-of-pocket expenses.
• No means-testing; however, low-income persons should have all costs covered.
• Dollar coverage high enough to protect the out-of-pocket costs of average to higher pharmaceutical users and a reasonable cap on costs for those with catastrophic bills.
• Provisions requiring (or incentives encouraging) employers to maintain and expand the level of coverage of current, employer-provided retiree prescription drug benefits.
• Some system of control of pharmaceutical prices for all consumers. This is necessary because without action on rising prices of pharmaceuticals, the cost of a Medicare benefit will not be affordable and millions of Americans of all ages will be denied their right to first-class health services.

For more information call (888) 373-6497, or check out the Alliance website at www.retiredamericans.org.