Marianne Pitzzitola, a former EMT, is fighting strong as an advocate for city retirees in the contentious and ongoing battle over their desire to keep traditional Medicare, as opposed to being switched, against their will, to the private, for-profit Medicare Advantage plan. The latter is actually not deemed an “advantage” at all by many, as it has many downsides and restrictions that make it inferior to the coverage they are getting now. Pizzitola began her crusade for the retirees’ interests in 2021 with the launching of the New York City Organization of Public Service Retirees; the future medical care and costs of roughly 250,000 retirees hangs in the balance. As the issue makes its way through the courts with Mayoral, DC 37, UFT and other powerful unions on the side of the switch, Pizzitola says, despite its toll on her, “This mission is a constant.”
Read the full story by Richard Khavkine for The Chief-Leader, published here: https://www.thechiefleader.com/stories/assured-and-intent-pizzitola-battles-the-city-and-a-few-unions-too,52243
