Pharmacy plan may affect retiree benefits

It has come to our attention that Gov. Bill Walker has unilaterally decided to enroll Alaska Public Employees’ Retirement System and Teachers’ Retirement System Retirees into a Medicare Part D pharmacy plan (Employer Group Waiver Plans/wrap). This will make significant changes and diminish our current constitutionally protected retiree benefits plan. Monthly surcharges ($35 to $75) could be charged to each member if they are deemed to be high income and co-pays may increase. What is this nonsense?

There are some constitutionally required steps Walker failed to preform before imposing any changes to our health benefits, so he needs to do that first. In the meantime, we are opposed to what Walker is doing.

John and Nancy Manly,

White Salmon, Washington

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