Insurance NewsNet | by Joe Edelen Less than a week before the start of Delaware’s Medicare Open Enrollment period, state retirees have filed a lawsuit over the change to a Medicare Advantage Plan. Retirees Investing in Social Equity Delaware, or RiseDelaware, filed a formal complaint in the Delaware Superior Court on Sunday, alleging the involved state agencies did not adhere to certain procedures under the Delaware Administrative Procedures Act “while enforcing statutory powers.” The lawsuit aims to halt the state’s implementation of its new Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware’s […]

Delaware Live | by Charlie Meggison A group of Delaware state government retirees and pensioners has filed suit against two government officials tasked with implementing a change in their health insurance coverage. RISE Delaware, an organization formed after state officials announced a plan to transition retirees to a Medicare Advantage program, filed the lawsuit in the Delaware Superior Court. RISE hopes to stop the transition to the Advantage program, which is set to take place on Jan. 1, 2023. “I have worked and contributed to Medicare my entire adult life,” […]

Bay to Bay News | by Joseph Edelen Less than a week before the start of Delaware’s Medicare Open Enrollment period, state retirees have filed a lawsuit over the change to a Medicare Advantage Plan. Retirees Investing in Social Equity Delaware, or RiseDelaware, filed a formal complaint in the Delaware Superior Court on Sunday, alleging the involved state agencies did not adhere to certain procedures under the Delaware Administrative Procedures Act “while enforcing statutory powers.” The lawsuit aims to halt the state’s implementation of its new Highmark Blue Cross Blue […]

Delaware Public Media | by Paul Kiefer The retiree advocacy group RiseDelaware is suing the state in state Superior Court over its decision to move retired state employees to a Medicare Advantage plan administered by Highmark Delaware. The group, led by state Rep. John Kowalko and New Castle County Councilperson Lisa Diller, claims state officials did not adequately inform lawmakers and retirees of the decision. In February, the state’s Pension Benefit Committee awarded a three-year contract to Highmark Delaware, longtime insurance provider for state employees, to administer the Medicare Advantage […]

The News Journal | by Meredith Newman The change to state pensioners’ health care plan caught both retirees and lawmakers off guard, which led to Democratic Senate leaders asking Gov. John Carney to push the implementation of the new Medicare Advantage plan. The Carney administration has denied this request, citing contractual obligations among other reasons. Ultimately, according to a letter to lawmakers obtained by Delaware Online/The News Journal, the plan to replace retiree’s Medicare plan is already in motion and it’s too late to stop it. The plan will go […]

Bay to Bay News | by Joseph Edelen At the Statewide Employee Benefits Committee’s monthly meeting on Monday, the panel provided updates on the implementation of Medicare Advantage ahead of next month’s Medicare Open Enrollment period. As many state of Delaware pensioners continue to express their uncertainty about the state’s move to a Medicare Advantage Plan, state officials and State Employee Benefits Committee members have made an immediate effort to inform pensioners of the change. While Statewide Benefits and Insurance Coverage Director Faith Rentz has assisted in providing pensioners with […]

Newark Post | by Josh Shannon Cyndie Romer cruised to victory in Tuesday’s District 25 Democratic primary, taking her one step closer to replacing the retiring Rep. John Kowalko. Romer took 85 percent of the vote, while firefighter Ed Klima took 15 percent. She will face Republican Lynn Mey, a chemical engineer who lives in the Cannonshire neighborhood, in November. “I am humbled and grateful for the support from the voters in the 25th District,” Romer said Tuesday night. “They inspire me and motivate me to work hard for them […]

The Center for Public Integrity | by Melissa Hellmann, Maya Srikrishnan, Ashley Clarke and Joe Yerardi As she opened her $1,600 property tax bill in February, Edith Baltazar suddenly lost her appetite for the eggs she’d prepared for lunch with her daughter. Her thoughts raced: Would their home be taken away if she couldn’t pay it? Baltazar’s daughter wept. The family would have to make a difficult decision: the property tax or $2,000 for diabetes medication. The taxes won. “Sometimes you have to choose — pay your property taxes instead […]

Newark Post | by Josh Shannon Two political newcomers are facing off in the Democratic primary to replace State Rep. John Kowalko, who is retiring after 16 years representing District 25. The winner of the Sept. 13 primary between Ed Klima and Cyndie Romer will go on to face Republican Lynn Mey, a chemical engineer who lives in the Cannonshire neighborhood. District 25 encompasses the southern half of Newark, from Main Street down to Glasgow and from the state line east to the Norfolk Southern rail line. Kowalko has endorsed […]

Bay to Bay News | by Joseph Edelen As state pensioners prepare for the switch to a Medicare Advantage Plan on Jan. 1, lawmakers and stakeholders have continued to express their concern regarding the change in coverage. Stemming from the state’s plan to address its $10 billion Other Post-Employment Benefits liability, the change came after more than two years of deliberation on how the state could address the liability. This included routine meetings from the Retirement Benefits Study Committee and the State Employee Benefits Committee on possible solutions and the […]