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Oneonta, N.Y., Thursday, December 12, 2024
Volume 17, No. 7
Newsstand Price $1
‘A Christmas Miracle’
Bassett Stops Changes to Retiree Benefits By DARLA M. YOUNGS
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COOPERSTOWN ur concerns were heard.” The relief must have been palpable as Bassett Healthcare Network retiree Jan McGrath listened to a voice mail left by Bassett President and Chief Executive Officer Staci Thompson, MHA, FACMPE late Friday afternoon, December 6. Only hours before, McGrath was one of more than two dozen Bassett Healthcare Network retirees who met on Thursday, December 5 to discuss unexpected changes to their Medicare Supplemental Plan, when words like “disappointed,” “betrayed,” “angry” and “shocked” were used over and over again. A letter signed by Brenda Laughlin, Bassett’s chief human resources officer, reads: “We are writing to inform you of important updates to your Nova Healthcare Medical Supplemental Plan that will take effect on January 1, 2025. We understand that medical plan costs are an important part of your annual
financial planning, so we want to be sure you are equipped with information about these plan updates ahead of the upcoming year.” The letter was dated November 11, just 26 days before the annual Medicare Open Enrollment period ended on December 7 and almost a month after open enrollment began on October 15. “This change may have seemed inevitable given network’s financial situation,” one retiree said, “but this didn’t just happen a month ago. It has obviously been in the works for some time.” Prior to the changes announced as of the first of the year, Bassett retirees—based on age and service requirements—were not required to pay any out-of-pocket costs for the NOVA plan. In previous years, Bassett covered 100 percent of the $155.00 monthly Nova premium as well as 100 percent of the copays for services provided within the Bassett network, with a $100.00 deductible. As of January 1, however, retirees on the NOVA plan had been notified that they would be required to
City Budget Passes
pay a monthly cost of $55.00, or 35 percent of the monthly premium. Copays start at $10.00 for a visit to a Primary Care provider or Urgent Care and range from $20.00 to see a specialist to $100.00 for an emergency room visit. “This is money I didn’t plan on having to spend,” said McGrath, who retired in 2016 with nearly 47 years of full-time employment at Bassett. McGrath, Bassett’s former human resources benefits specialist, is uniquely positioned to question this change in policy. In a letter to Laughlin dated November 25, McGrath wrote: “It has taken several days to digest the unwelcome news that Bassett has decided to start collecting part of the Nova Medicare Supplemental premium Photo courtesy of National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum from those of us who were covered Dave Parker (above) and Dick Allen will be inducted into at 100% Bassett-paid premium. In the Baseball Hall of Fame next summer. the Retiree Medical Policy change of 1/1/1992 it stated that active employees with 20 years of fulltime service at that time would be grandfathered into the Medicare Continued on page 9 COOPERSTOWN ick Allen, a seven-time All-Star and two-time home run champion, and Dave Parker, a twotime batting champion and the owner of two World Series rings, earned election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday, December 8 via the Classic Baseball Era Committee process. Allen and Parker were candidates on the Classic Baseball Era Committee Ballot, which was considered by a 16-member committee that held meetings on Sunday in Dallas. Parker was named on 14 of 16 ballots and Allen on 13 of 16 ballots as the only candidates to reach the 75-percent threshold necessary for election. Parker, who is 73, and Allen, who passed away in 2020, will be joined in the Hall of Fame Class of 2025 by any electees who emerge from the Baseball Photo by Monica Calzolari Writers’ Association of America voting, which will Len Carson of the Fifth Ward motioned that the tentative be announced on Tuesday, January 21. 2025 budget be approved on one condition—that a budAllen played 15 seasons for the Phillies, Cardinals, get committee have the opportunity to cut more expenses Dodgers, White Sox, and Athletics, totaling 351 home to reduce the deficit. runs and 1,119 RBI. He won the 1964 National League “no” vote. years—instructed the Rookie of the Year Award with the Phillies and was Those five “no” votes council that a second named the 1972 American League Most Valuable Player outweighed the three motion, discussion with the White Sox. He reached the 20-home run mark “yes” votes by Elayne and a second vote is in nine straight seasons and 10 overall while leading his league in slugging percentage three times, extra base Mosher Campoli, permissible. Cecelia Walsh-Russo A heated discus- hits three times and on-base percentage twice. Parker was named to seven All-Star Games in his and Shannon McHugh, sion and debate ensued, who represent the First, during which tensions 19 seasons, winning back-to-back NL batting titles in 1977-78 while earning league MVP honors in Second and Third wards, ran high. respectively. M o s h e r - C a m p o l i the latter year. A key member of the Pirates World When Carson moved sought a compromise Series champions in 1979 and the Athletics World to reconsider passing the from her dissenting Series winners 10 years later, Parker led his league in total bases three times and slugging percentage budget, David Merzig— council members. attorney for the City of “This is very disap- twice. A three-time Gold Glove Award winner in right Continued on page 11 Continued on page 6 Oneonta for the past 38
More Work To Be Done To Cut Expenses Common Council initially declined to pass the tentative 2025 budget ONEONTA that they had approved n Tuesday, Dec- on November 19. ember 3, the City When put to a second of Oneonta’s vote, six of the seven council members INSIDE consented to pass the 2025 budget of $20 ► group educates on civic duties, page 2 million, with the caveat that there would be future ► food pantry donations budget cuts and solutions can be doubled, page 3 to cover the deficit while ► many local diversions drawing down less of the to lift spirits, page 4 reserves. Eighth Ward repre► goodyear cheers coop, counts the ways, page 4 sentative Don Mathisen remained resolute in ► oxley: leave lakefront opposing the budget, view alone, page 4 voting no a second time. ► flavored vapes? scotus Kaytee Lipari Shue, deliberates, page 5 Fourth Ward, Len Carson, Fifth Ward, ► worcester woman fetes dad’s 99th , page 7 Scott Harrington, Sixth Ward, and Mathisen all ► lots to do, page 12 voted against the tentative 2025 budget the first Follow Breaking News On time around. A vacancy in the Seventh Ward automatically counts as a By MONICA CALZOLARI
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Two Sluggers Headed to the Baseball Hall
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THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S AWARD-WINNING WEEKLIES 2010 WINNERS OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD
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