Next Organization of Staff Analysts’Retirees Club Meeting

Wednesday • December 14, 2011 • 12:30 – 2:30pm

ON THE AGENDA: OSARC’S GOT TALENT

OSARC Members Provide the Entertainment; the Club Provides the “Feast”

220 East 23 Street, Ste 707, NY NY 10010 (Between 2 & 3 Aves)rd nd rd

OSARC newsletter

December2011

Vol.19 No.10

In This Issue

2 -In Memoriam- 20 Anniversaryth

Committee

3 - Officer Exits & Entrances- Medicare Overview

8 - COMRO Report- A Poet Grows In OSARC

9 - Rich Do Well, Yes They Do- Labor History Worth A Look- Republican Candidates Target Senior Programs

10 - Americans Thankful As SuperCommittee Tanks At Thanksgiving Time

È È È È È È È

OSARC220 East 23 Streetrd

Suite 707New York NY 10010

(212) 686-1229 (212) 686-1231 Fax

(212) 330-8833 Hotlinewww.osaunion.org

Entertaining Ourselves

For the fourth consecutive year, the club’s December meeting will featurea special “feast” with delicious goodies, along with OSARC’s

home-grown talent performing for us all in an afternoonwe have come to affectionately label, “OSARC’s Got Ta-lent.” If you don’t come, you’ll never know.

Over the past few years, we have been treated towonderful, often seasonally appropriate reci-tations of poetry, literature, drama and per-formances of songs. And, although we haven’thad this type of creative submission in the past,if you have art, photography or crafts youwould like to show/share, bring the work orpictures with you.

If you play an instrument, sing, performstand-up comedy, recite poetry, act or do mime,

we need you. Step up to the mic. You’ll have agood time and your brothers and sisters will be

grateful.

OSARCers Plan China Theater TripNope, they aren’t going to China. They’re going to Lincoln Center to see thePeony Pavilion, a modern dance drama from China. Trip committee chairRenee Bash announced at the November OSARC meeting plans for adiscounted trip to a performance of this story about forbidden love (ah,forbidden love, you remember that, don’t you?) which was first performedin China in 1598 and has now been updated. Produced by the China JinlingDance Company of Nanjing, the story was first performed as an operaduring the Ming Dynasty. About 14 OSARCers and their guests signed upat the meeting. Because of group rate time constraints, the order had to besubmitted prior to the mailing of this Newsletter. The performance isJanuary 8, 2012 at 2pm, with the group gathering at 1:30pm at the NY StateTheater at Lincoln Center (which is now named the David Koch Theaterafter its benefactor, that pillar of the 1% and the Tea Party). Those whosigned up and paid for seats can obtain their tickets from Marcia Brown, anew member of the trip committee, in the theater lobby.

OSARC Newsletter • December 2011 • Page 2

OSARC Officers 2011-2012Co-Chairs............................................................................. Saul Weber, Mark LewisCo-Vice-Chairs........................................................................Fred Lieber, Judy BalosTreasurer..........................................................................................Christine DasSecretary..........................................................................................Joyce ClevelandCOMRO Representative...........................................................................Mark Lewis

É É É É

Newsletter Editor..............Rob SpencerPhotos...........Quinn Johnson

We’ll Be Seeing You In All The Old Familiar PlacesSeventy (70) members and friends attended the

November OSARC meeting, including three individualswhose names are not included below because, instead ofneatly printing their names on the sign-in sheet as requested,they provided a copy of their most indecipherable signature:

Adrianne Alpert, Gilberte Ambroise, JoAnn Ambrogi,Jim Arangio, Judy Balos, Elizabeth Borden, Renee Bash,Regina Berry, Renee Boyce, Lois Chaffee, Joyce Cleve-land, Christine Das, Bonnie Dermack, Gloria D’Jaha,Vincent DiGesu, Bill Douglas, Thomas Duggan, BarbaraElstein, Richard Fink, Manny Friedman, Al Guerra,Arthur Haimo, Alicia Hamill, Elizabeth Henderson, MaryHillman, Andrew Hollander, Barbara Hunt, DanielJacobson, Roslyn Jones, Elizabeth Karetzky, Kaye Lee,Joel Leichter, Hank Lenz, Rosanne Levitt, Fred Lieber,Michael Manzolillo, John Mazzarella, Jim McKeon, MaryAnn McKinney, Dan Morgan, Elizabeth Myers, KathrynNocerino, John Ost, Eileen Pentel, Bob Pfefferman, PeterPiroso, Carl Prisco, Fred Ranzoni, Claus Reinisch, EdnaRiley, Francisco Rios, Nilsa Rios, Nancy Russell, WaguihSabongui, David Silverman, Catherine Slade, WilliamSmarrito, Tomi Smith, Michael Spector, Joe Sperling,Louis Starkey, Brenda Stoute, Sallie Stroman, HattieThomas, Edelmira Ventura, Saul Weber, and MargaretWilliams

Tom Duggan, who retired from DCAS, Peter Piroso,who retired from ACS, Liz Myers,who retired from the Departmentof Corrections, Mary Ann Mc-Kinney, who retired from theDepartment for the Aging, Bar-bara Elstein, who retired fromHPD, Al Guerra, who retiredfrom ACS, and Brenda Stoute,who graduated from BellevueHospital Center/HHC, were allattending their first OSARCmeeting (we think), though manyhave been OSARC members for a

few years. Welcome Tom, Peter Liz, Mary Ann, Barbara,Al, and Brenda!

We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting. And,if you have time to give, won't you consider volunteering forone of our committees?

In Memoriam It is with sadness that

the Newsletter reports thedeath of four OSA retirees.

Valentino Johnsonretired in 2010 as anAssociate Staff Analyst atthe Department of Correc-tions. Richard Brown re-tired in 2001 as an ASA atthe Fire Department.

Earlene Bethel, thewife of longtime OSAorganizer and former SSEU/Local 371 President JoeSperling, retired in 1996 asa Staff Analyst at theCommunity DevelopmentAgency. Earlene was ex-tremely active in com-munity affairs in her homeborough of Staten Island.

Lastly, OSARC activistRichard Kucera, who devotedmany years to chairing the Mem-bership Committee that annuallyprocesses OSARC member dues,retired in 1996 as a ProgramResearch Analyst at the HumanResources Administration. TheNewsletter extends its sincerecondolences to the family andfriends of our brothers and sister.

• • • • •

Committee Forms To Help OSARC Turn 20On June 13, 2012, OSARC will celebrate its 20th

birthday. After the November meeting, a number of OSARC-ers volunteered to work on planning for the anniversarycelebration. Barbara Schwartz, Eileen Pentel, Renee Bash,Jim McKeon, Fred Lieber and Saul Weber are all on board.

Eileen has volunteered to monitor a new email addressintended exclusively for use in connection with the 20th

anniversary celebration and its preparations. So, if you haveideas for OSARC’s 20 or would like to get involved, pleaseth

email Eileen at osarc20@osaunion.org. Please do not use thisaddress for other OSARC or union business as your off-topicemail will not be answered. You can also call OSA ExecutiveDirector Sheila Gorsky at the union office at 212-686-1229.Early warning – a brief survey will be enclosed with theJanuary Newsletter soliciting input on celebration plans.

Earlene Bethel (right) holdsthe OSA banner during a 2006march to support striking tran-sit workers. OSARCer JoanDoheny is also pictured. (Photo:Rob Spencer)

Barbara Elstein

Richard Kucera(photo: Rob Spencer)

OSARC Newsletter • December 2011 • Page 3

Medicare From A to Dby Joyce Cleveland

November’s topic wasMedicare. Why Medicare?As taxpayers and retirees,we are acutely aware ofthe high costs of medicalcare for retirees and thenegative impact on ourbudgets, both personal andgovernment. So it isimportant that we eachconsider what kind ofhealth care we need, whatis available and its afford-ability.

Our November guestspeakers provided an over-view of Medicare requirements and benefits – benefits thatimpact our lives and medical insurance options.

Diane McDaniel, JD, the Deputy Director of the HIICAP(Health Insurance Information, Counseling and Assistance)Program of the New York City Department for the Aging,presented information on all four of the main components ofMedicare – Parts A through D. Her presentation focused onoriginal Medicare, not on the city health plans for Medicare-eligible city retirees.

On hand to present information applicable to cityretirees, with a special emphasis on the City of New York’sMedicare Part B premium reimbursements and the OSAWelfare Fund’s partial reimbursement of Medicare Part D-enhanced drug rider premiums was OSA staffer VojnaStanic-Geraghty. Ms. Stanic-Geraghty also fielded questionson the mechanics of dealing with the city and the union onMedicare questions.

McDaniel noted that HIICAP provides counseling andassistance to older New Yorkers to help them betterunderstand their health insurance coverage.

"The HIICAP unit has a Medicare information andenrollment center,” said McDaniel. “It has counselors whoare retirees and experts.” You can make an appointment to

Officers Come, Officers Go, Officers Share Their Thoughts

There have been a fewchanges in the roster of clubofficers since the start of the2011-12 club year. MichellaBrown, has stepped down as co-chair and Dan Morgan hasstepped down as treasurer. Danhas provided many years of ser-vice to OSARC in variouscapacities, including three yearsas co-chair and more than sixyears as treasurer. Dan promisesto continue his service with theworking committees that he hasably chaired, especially themailing committee that sends youthis Newsletter. He urges you to join and help out.

Michella is working for the union as an organizerand tells the Newsletter that the demands of that workpreclude her continued service to the club.

The Newsletter expresses its grateful appreciation onbehalf of the officers and members of OSARC to bothDan and Michella for their service.

At a November officers’ meeting, it was decided thatone of the three co-vice-chairs would move up to co-chair the club, along with current co-chair Saul Weber.Mark Lewis graciously volunteered. Mark shared a fewthoughts with the Newsletter about upcoming programs:

“We’re planning interesting programs for theremainder of the year, starting this month when we willhave our annual “OSARC’s Got Talent” holiday party.It will feature a special “feast” and the talents of yourfellow OSARcers.

“January will bring a rep from the Visiting NurseService who will speak about safety for seniors and fallprevention. In February, we’ll discuss new taxdevelopments for seniors. March will feature a guestspeaker on “fracking,” the controversial process forextracting gas and its possible consequences for ourwater supply.

“April is our annual trip. If you have ideas for adestination – or a topic for our May meeting – let theofficers know at the December meeting.

“We also hope you will join the food, trip,membership, outreach and speakers committees. Weneed your participation to ensure OSARC is a vibrantorganization. Please give some thought as to whichcommittee(s) you will join. Finally, we hope to get ourinterest clubs off the ground. Those who want to formthe clubs need to meet after the December meeting,choose a chair for each club and set up a meeting date.They can then set goals and report back at the Januarymeeting. Let’s make this an exciting year with highparticipation from all of our members!”

New Co-ChairMark Lewis

HIICAP Deputy Director DianeMcDaniel addresses theNovember OSARC meeting

OSARC Secretary Joyce Cleveland, Co-Chair Saul Weber, OSAstaffer Vojna Stanic-Geraghty and guest speaker DianeMcDaniel of the Department for the Aging.

OSARC Newsletter • December 2011 • Page 4

come in and see them by calling 311 or (212) 341-3978McDaniel added, “usually, we deal with people who are

new to Medicare or are just aging into Medicare.” Based on the response, there was a large OSARC

contingent present at the meeting who fell into the lattercategory.

What is Medicare?Medicare, said McDaniel, is a national health insurance

program for people over 65, certain people with disabilitiesor those with end-stage renal disease. Medicare has fourcomponents, known as parts and she outlined them asfollows:

Part A - Hospital InsurancePart B - Medical Insurance (Doctor Services)Part C - Medicare Advantage Plans (Health Maintenance

Organizations and Preferred Provider Organizationswhich incorporate basic Medicare into morecomprehensive service packages - for example HIPVIP for city retirees)

Part D - Prescription Drug Coverage

Medicare EligibilityTo be eligible for Medicare – in addition to reaching age

65 – you need to have paid into Social Security for 40quarters (ten years) or be a disabled individual under 65 whohas received Social Security checks for 24 months or who hasend-stage renal disease.

Participation/Enrollment in MedicareTo participate, you must actually enroll in the program.

If you are a 62 or 63 year-old retiree who receives SocialSecurity benefit checks, you will automatically be enrolled inMedicare when you reach 65.

If you are not receiving Social Security checks, you haveto enroll in Medicare. There is a 7 month enrollment window

during your 65th year – three months before your birthmonth, your birth month, and three months after your birthmonth. If you fail to enroll during this period, you may beassessed penalties later, McDaniel said.

OSARCers not presently enrolled in Medicare who havequestions about the enrollment process may contact Ms.Stanic-Geraghty at the union at 212-686-1229. Informationfor city retirees is available on the web at the site of the CityOffice of Labor Relations’ Health Benefits Program atwww.nyc.gov/olr (Click on “Health Benefits Program” in themenu on the left side of that page.)

Medicare Part AMedicare Part A provides in-patient hospital care,

hospice care, limited coverage for skilled nursing facility useand very limited (not long term) health care assistanceservices.

For example, Medicare covers in-patient hospital carewhen all of the following are true:

• A doctor says you need in-patient care to treat yourillness or injury;

• The kind of care you need can only be given in a hospital;• The hospital accepts Medicare;• The hospital's Utilization Review Committee approves

your stay.

Part A CostsMedicare Part A does not have monthly premiums, but

there are deductibles and co-pays (the amount you may berequired to pay as your share of the cost for a medical serviceor supply like a doctor's visit, or a prescription).

Please note that much of the information provided by Ms.McDaniel applies to original Medicare. OSARCers havemore comprehensive coverage through the city, whichcombines Medicare and secondary insurance from a privatecompany, so costs and coverage will vary for OSARCersfrom the information McDaniel provided.

Deductibles are the amount you must pay for health careor prescriptions before original Medicare, your prescriptiondrug plan or your other insurance begins to pay.

For example, in 2011 if you are admitted to a hospital asan in-patient under original Medicare alone, you will pay adeductible of $1132 for each benefit period – which begins

OSA staffer Vojna Stanic-Geraghty and OSA ExecutiveDirector Sheila Gorsky provide information on how Medicareintegrates with City health programs.

Staying Safe in January - Mark Your CalendarIn January, the OSARC topic will be senior safety and

fall prevention. Our guest speaker will be a physicaltherapist from the Visiting Nurse Service of New Yorkand will focus on ways in which seniors can remain activeand safe in the community while avoiding falls. VNS willalso present information on their “Strong Foundations”program which provides guidance and services tohomebound elders at risk of falling to help them avoidaccidents. The information should be valuable foryourselves or for family members. Mark your calendar forthe January 11 meeting.

OSARC Newsletter • December 2011 • Page 5

the day you go into a hospital or skilled nursing facility(SNF) and ends when you haven't received any hospital orSNF care for 60 days in a row. If you go into a hospital orSNF after one benefit period has ended, a new benefit periodbegins and you must pay the in-patient hospital deductible foreach period. The deductible applies to costs you incur duringthe first 60 days of your hospital stay (if it lasts that long).For longer stays:

Day 61 - 90 In original Medicare, there is a $283/daycoinsurance charge representing your shareof the cost for services after you pay anydeductibles.)

Days 91+ $566 coinsurance per "lifetime reserve day"(you have 60 of these) after day 90 for eachbenefit period.

For example, you enter a hospital on 1/1/2011 and paythe deductible. After a few days, you are released. Then inMarch you are admitted again. No additional deductible isrequired. But if you haveanother hospital stay in August(with no intervening hospitalstays) you will be subject toanother deductible of $1132 ifthe prior benefit period hasended.

OSARCers should checkthe details of their specificMedicare-enhanced city healthplan to see what, if any, coststhey may encounter.

Other Part A CoveragePart A will also cover you if you are homebound and

require skilled care within your home – physical therapy,speech therapy or occupational therapy, for example – butthis must be certified or prescribed by a doctor.

If, in addition to skilled care, you also need incidentalhome care from a home health aide, it must be prescribed bythe doctor in conjunction with the skilled nursing or therapycare. Otherwise, Medicare will not cover your home healthaide costs and you will have to pay those out-of-pocket. Afurther requirement is that the aide must be provided by anagency certified by Medicare.

McDaniel said, “many people think Medicare is free untilthey go into the hospital, but, like all insurance, there areshared costs that everyone has to pay.”

“What people need to understand is that Congress'legislative intent (in the 1960's) was to cover acute illnesses.‘You get sick, you get well, you're OK.’ You don't have touse insurance anymore. They were providing insurancecoverage for seniors for a certain period of time. They werenot looking at long term illnesses or medications havingexplosive cost increases.”

People are living longer and they are healthier. McDanielquipped that 70 is now the new 30 and she urged individualsto pay attention to deductibles, co-pays and co-insurance ontheir own plan so “you know what your insurance does anddoes not do.”

Medicare Part BMedicare Part B is medical insurance that covers medical

services or covered preventive services received from yourdoctor in their office, a hospital, askilled nursing facility or your home.It also covers other medicallynecessary services you get as anoutpatient from a Medicareparticipating hospital for the diag-nosis or treatment of an illness orinjury (including some prescriptiondrugs), laboratory services andcovered preventive services

Part B PremiumsTo receive Part B services, you

must pay an annual deductible aswell as a monthly premium. In 2011,the Part B deductible was $162.

The monthly basic premium for2011 for most people who wereenrolled in Medicare as of December 2010 was $96.40 permonth. In 2012, the premium will rise to $99.90. Premiumsare deducted from Social Security checks.

OSA’s Stanic-Geraghty pointed out that when cityretirees first become eligible for Medicare it is very importantfor them to properly notify the city’s health benefits programof their change in status and, for those in HMOs, to notifytheir health plan as well.

Those who are in GHI must send a copy of theirMedicare card, along with identifying information (name,address, former agency, etc) to the Office of Labor Relations’Health Benefits Program at 40 Rector Street. OLR will, inturn, notify GHI of your changed status.

For those in HMOs, you must first notify your healthplan, of your enrollment in Medicare, telling them you are acity retiree, sending them a copy of your Medicare card andcompleting an enrollment form to switch to the Medicareversion of your health plan. Then,you will send a copy of yourenrollment form and your Medicarecard to OLR’s Health BenefitsProgram at 40 Rector Street.

She added that City of NewYork retirees automatically receivereimbursement for the basic pre-mium in a lump sum check fromthe city in August of the yearfollowing payment. This reim-bursement is based on a law passedby the City Council a decade or soago. So, reimbursement for pre-miums paid in 2011 will occur inAugust, 2012.

In addition, noted Stanic-Geraghty, those City of New Yorkretirees who (because of incomesover $85,000 for single individualsand $170,000 for couples) paid more than the basic Medicare

Al Guerra

Brenda Stoute

Mary Ann McKinney

OSARC Newsletter • December 2011 • Page 6

premium during calendar year 2010, are entitled to anadditional reimbursement. This means-tested payment is

known as an IRMAA or IncomeRelated Monthly AdjustmentAmount.

IRMAA reimbursementchecks for 2010 will be issued bythe city beginning in March of2012. There is a claim formwhich must be submitted to thecity’s Office of Labor Relations.You can find a copy of theIRMAA form on the union’swebsite, www.osaunion.org,under the “Retirees” button.Scroll down and click on the linknamed “2010 Medicare Part BIRMAA Reimbursement Form.”

OSA retirees who wish toobtain more information about

IRMAA claims may contact Stanic-Geraghty at the unionoffice.

Settling ClaimsAfter you pay the deductible and monthly premium,

Medicare settles claims submitted by participating providerswho have delivered services to you.

Currently, original fee-for-service Medicare pays 80% ofthe Medicare-approved amounts for covered expenses. Theinsured is responsible for 20%. However, if the provideraccepts assignment, the Medicare approved amount paid tothe provider will settle the claim.

City retirees have supplemental or secondary coveragethrough their city health benefits, so the portion which wouldbe theirs in original Medicare is entirely or largely covered bythe private insurer they have chosen to provide their cityhealth benefits. Original Medicare does not cover all services. Forexample, Medicare does not cover costs for routine eyeexams for eyeglasses, routine foot care, cosmetic surgery,dental care, acupuncture and services performed outside theUnited States.

Those who are not city workers often choose to addadditional coverage via supplemental insurance that coversgaps in Medicare coverage. These policies are known as

Medicare Supplemental Insurance orMedigap policies.

Others may decide to get allmedical services, including theirMedicare coverage through a Med-icare Advantage Plan. (See Med-icare Part C in the next column.)

The city health plans forMedicare-eligible retirees are plansthat either incorporate MedicareSupplemental Insurance (GHISenior Care, for example) or areMedicare Advantage Plans (HIPVIP).

Those who select a Medicare

Advantage Plan don't need and can't be sold a MedicareSupplemental (Medigap) policy.

Extended Medicare Coverage in 2011In 2011, under the recently passed Affordable Care Act,

Medicare part B extended its coverage. Those who getoriginal Medicare are now able to get a yearly “wellnessexam” and many preventive services for free, including vac-cines for flu, pneumonia and hepatitis; a pap smear; coloncancer screening; glaucoma screening; cardiovascularscreening tests for lipid levels; diabetes testing; smokingcessation; and medical nutrition therapy.

The annual “wellness exam” is a visit in which youdevelop or update a personalized prevention plan with yourdoctor, based on your current health and risk factors,including a review of medical and family history, a list ofcurrent providers and prescriptions, measurements of height,weight, blood pressure, and a list of risk factors and treatmentoptions. Most of these services are free. Refer to theMedicare publication “Your Guide to Medicare's PreventiveServices.”

Medicare Part C Medicare Part C refers to Medicare Advantage plans, a

type of Medicare health plan offered by a private insurancecompany that contracts withMedicare to provide you with allyour Medicare Part A and Part Bbenefits. These plans includeHMOs, PPOs and other pro-grams. Most include prescriptiondrug benefits, often at extra cost.

Once you select and enroll inan “Advantage” plan, you are ina provider network in which youreceive all your care, includinghospital and physicians’ services.In fact, you are restricted toservice by the network’s pro-viders.

Medicare services, in thiscase, are covered through the plan and aren't paid for underoriginal Medicare, which is fee-for-service coverage in whichthe government as insurer pays your health care providersdirectly for your Part A and/or Part B benefits.

A Medicare Advantage plan may require fixed co-paysfor some additional services, such as eyeglasses, teethcleaning, hearing aids, etc. In some PPOs, you may pay ahigher deductible to enable you to go out of the network.

Medicare Part DMedicare Part D is insurance introduced in the early

2000s that covers prescription drugs. It adds prescription drugcoverage to original Medicare and is provided byMedicare-approved private insurance companies. Those onoriginal Medicare can purchase separate stand-alone Part Dcoverage. It helps cover the cost of prescription drugs andmay lower prescription drug costs for those who were payingfor drugs out-of-pocket.

Peter Piroso

Gilberte Ambroise

Liz Myers

OSARC Newsletter • December 2011 • Page 7

Stand-alone Part D plansvary but, in general, in 2011there was a deductible of$310 (though not all planshave a deductible). Theseplans pay 75% and thepatient 25% of eligible drugexpenses up to $2,840. At$2,840 in drug expenses, youare in the "donut hole," acoverage gap during whichyou pay all drug costs out-of-pocket, until you reach $4700.At that time, the plan kicks back in and you then pay only 5%of the remaining drug costs.

For city retirees, drug riders available for a monthlypremium on your city-provided health plans incorporate someversion of this Part D coverage, although the configuration ofthe coverage gap is somewhat different in these plans than instand-alone Medicare Part D plans.

In 2011, the Affordable Care Act partially closed the“donut hole” – you pay 50% of a drug's cost and the otherhalf is picked up by the government. However, 100% of thecost counts toward getting you out of the “donut hole.” TheAffordable Care Act ratchets up government coverage in the“donut hole” until, by 2020, the “donut hole” closes.

For those who are not city retirees and are seeking aMedicare Part D plan to supplement their original Medicarecoverage, McDaniel recommended a visit to the website“www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan” to learn more aboutMedicare drug plans. She indicated that HIICAP is workingon a special project that will help seniors navigate theMedicare.gov website.

Stanic-Geraghty noted that city retirees should choose thedrug rider on their city health plan to ensure proper drugcoverage.

She pointed out that the union’s Welfare Fund presentlypartially reimburses Medicare-eligible retirees for theirMedicare-enhanced drug rider premium costs either directlyto the member or to the city (in the case of GHI) if they areenrolled in Medicare Parts A & B and their health coverageis provided by a qualified Medicare HMO or GHI SeniorCare.

The Medicare-enhanced drug rider presently costs$119.56 monthly for GHI Senior Care and $116.28 for HIPVIP – the two plans for Medicare-eligible retirees chosen bythe vast majority of cityretirees.

The OSA Welfare Fundpays up to $50 a month towardthe rider premiums for coveredretirees and covered spouses/domestic partners.

In the case of GHI SeniorCare, the $50 union reim-bursement is pre-applied bythe city to the amountdeducted from the retiree’spension, so you would see only$69.56 a month taken out for

the drug rider. Individuals enrolled in all other plans, including HIP VIP,

are reimbursed automatically by the Welfare Fund in the formof a lump sum check mailed to the member during the firstfew months of the year following the premium payments.

If a member was not on Medicare for the full year, thesepayments are pro-rated for the months the member was onMedicare.

Only those with family drug rider courage need to doanything further to obtain the Welfare Fund reimbursement.

Finally, members of the Marine Engineers BeneficialAssociation who receive OSA Welfare Fund coverage do notreceive the partial reimbursement of drug rider premiums. If you have questions about the drug benefit forMedicare-eligible OSA retirees, call Stanic-Geraghty at 212-686-1229.

Making Plan Changes/Adding a RiderStanic-Geraghty noted that City workers who are enrolled

in Medicare enhanced health planscan make changes in their enrollmentonce every two years in the evennumbered years. There is also a oncein a lifetime option to change yourplan at other times. The possiblechanges include adding or dropping aMedicare Part D-enhanced drug rideror changing from one Medicare-enhanced health plan to another (forexample from HIP VIP to GHI SeniorCare or vice-versa.)

Sources of InformationIn closing, McDaniel of DFTA

warned against Medicare fraud and marketing. “Guard yourcard,” she said. Some have been duped into turning over theirMedicare numbers which can be misused.

Also, Medicare beneficiaries should be sure that vendorsfrom whom they purchase goods and services are Medi-care-approved. Otherwise, the service or item may not bereimbursed.

McDaniel said you can reach HIICAP at 311 or (212)341-3978. or by visiting www.nyc.gov/aging. For a betterunderstanding of Medicare coverage and benefits, sherecommended three booklets, available from Medicare:! Medicare Basics: a guide for families and friends of

people with Medicare. ! Your Medicare Benefits: a guide to the services and

supplies that original Medicare covers, how much youpay, and where to get more information

! Your Guide to Medicare's Preventive Services:information on disease prevention and why it's important,which preventive services Medicare covers and howoften, who can get services, and what you payOSA staffer Stanic-Geraghty mentioned that information

about the various city health plans for Medicare-eligibleretirees can be found on the Office of Labor Relationswebsite at www.nyc.gov/olr under the Health BenefitsProgram link. Their phone number is (212) 513-0470.

Claus Reinisch

Tom Duggan

Lois Chaffee

OSARC Newsletter • December 2011 • Page 8

COMRO ReportThe Council of Municipal Retiree Organizations

(COMRO) brings together OSARC and other city retireegroups for a monthly meeting from September to June. TheNovember COMRO meeting explored a range of issues andfeatured a guest presentation by OSA and OSARC’s own BobCroghan. Bob provided an update on negotiations betweenthe city and the Municipal Labor Committee then scheduledto start in mid-November. He noted that over the thirty yearsfrom 1977-2007, the top 1% enjoyed a 275% increase in aftertax income, while the middle 60% received only 40% moreover the same period. Productivity increased while jobs wereincreasingly shipped overseas. So, city workers, like allmiddle class workers, have not done well.

Bob pointed out that most municipal unions are nowworking under expired contracts, but Mayor Bloomberg hasemphasized givebacks, leading most unions to see no majorgain in sitting down to negotiate with him. [Editor’s note:the city’s first offer to unions in mid-November was a 5-yearcontract with no raises for three years, followed by two raisesof 2%, which would leave city workers worse off at the end ofthe contract than at its start.] The mayor has also proposeddiminished pensions for new hires and that workers andretirees pay for more of their health care costs.

Bob reminded COMRO that, throughout hisadministration, Bloomberg has threatened layoffs repeatedlyas a way to extract union concessions and pointed out thetactic has not been successful in the past and is unlikely to besuccessful now.

Bob suggested retirees can volunteer with their unionsand community and become active in political affairs.

Stu Liebowitz of the DC37 retirees pointed out thecontinued reliance by the city on contracted-out services.

He also pointed out that Ohio voters had rejected Gov.John Kasich’s anti-worker legislation SB5, which was put toa popular referendum on election day in November. The bill,which would have destroyed public workers’ rights tocollective bargaining in the state, went down to defeat by avote of 62-38%. The vote indicates wide popular support forthe right of public workers to negotiate on health care,staffing levels, and other matters.

The December COMRO meeting will feature a report onthe state of the five public pension funds.

She’s A Poet, She Knows It; Now You Do, Too!OSARCer Kathryn Nocerino’s

political coverage has graced thesepages periodically over the pastseveral years. Her most recentarticle, on the Occupy Wall Streetmovement, ran in our last issue.

But, her writing occupiesmore than the pages of the OSARCNewsletter. So, we wanted tobring to your attention her otherpublished work, as well as herliterary background.

Kathryn recently sold anarticle entitled “Gilbert Stuart andChampagne,” about a real estateauction in Patchogue, Long Island, to the publicationAntiqueWeek.

Moving to fiction, Kathryn has several published booksof poetry to her credit and, she tells the Newsletter, while shehad been under the impression that “all of my poetry bookswere out of print, they seem to be available on Amazon.com.”

Kathryn warns readers that “Amazon's listing containserrors in dates and titles, with the correct versions being: WaxLips (New Rivers Press, 1980), Candles in the Daytime(Warthog Press, 1985), and Death of the Plankton Bar &Grill (New Rivers Press, 1987).

She has received literary fellowships from Yaddo; theMacDowell Colony and the Ragdale Foundation. And, shehas read her work at the World Literature Program at CityUniversity; the Wolfe Institute for the Humanities atBrooklyn College, Stony Brook University, and theNuyorican Poets Café.

A past member of the Poetry Society of America, shecurrently is a member of PEN, “the writers' benevolentorganization which intercedes for endangered writers in theU.S. and internationally.”

She cautions, however, that US poets do not receive theattention they deserve nor the recognition their counterpartsin other parts of the world are given.

“Even a very famous writer such as John Cheever oftensat in an empty bookstore, waiting for an army of phantomreaders,” Kathryn says. Ever the good analyst, she providesthe statistic that backs up her assertion. The average USedition of a volume of poetry, she notes, “has a press run of3,000 copies, of which, perhaps, half may sell.” She recentlydiscovered that the unsold copies of her second book“reposed for a very long time on a cat-filled Victorian porchin East Orange, New Jersey.”

So, it’s a hard life for American poets – and an equallytough one for small literary publishers, who cannot exist onretail or online sales alone. They often supplement theirincome with foundation and government grants. Her firstpublisher, Bill Truesdale of New Rivers Press, was a teachingcolleague of the poet James Wright, and her second publisher,Patricia Fillingham of Warthog Press, was a professor ofmathematics at Rutgers University.

By way of comparison, Kathryn observes that the Greeks“treat their poets like rock stars.” Nobel laureate Odysseas

Jim McKeon and OSARC co-chair Saul Weber

Kathryn Nocerino

OSARC Newsletter • December 2011 • Page 9

Elytis, interviewed by the NY Times about his publishingexperience before receiving his Nobel, said, ‘They print thefirst edition in hardcover, 50,000 copies. Two weeks later,after that sells out (emphasis added), they print another30,000 copies in softcover.”

Kathryn reflects that she is “not exactly ready to leave mylanguage base even for this kind of quality experience.”

So, next time you’re online, go to Amazon and search forKathryn’s name or her book titles. She points out that hersecond book, Candles in the Daytime, is “outrageouslyexpensive on Amazon.” But, she has a small stock of copiesof all three of her books which she can provide directly tothose interested.

Come to the December OSARC meeting. Kathryn mightjust attend and read some of her poems at OSARC’s annualholiday party.

In addition to her published poetry, her short storiesappear in two anthologies by Jennifer and Maria MazziottiGillan: Identity Lessons (Putnam Penguin, 1999); andGrowing Up Ethnic in America (Putnam Penguin, 1999)both part of a trilogy on multiculturalism used in high schooland college courses. Amazon carries both and you canpurchase them directly from Penguin at (http://us.penguingroup.com).

Finally, referring to a book whose title was swept into anAmazon search for her work, Kathryn notes, “Alas, I am notthe author of that book about zombies which Amazon seemsto suggest is mine.”

• • • • •

Labor History Association Worth SupportingFor 35 years, the NY Labor History Association has been

promoting the history of working people in New York State.NYLHA produces a newsletter,Work History News, a yearlycalendar of events for Labor HistoryMonth in May, and a website atnewyorklaborhistory.org, as well asseveral programs each year on laborhistory. If you’d like to join, duesare a modest $20 a year, $10 forseniors. You can find information ontheir website, along with a form tosubmit with your dues.

Those At the Top Do Very Well, IndeedThe non-partisan Congressional Budget Office reported

in October that the top 1% of earners more than doubled theirshare of the nation’s total income over the past three decades.And the progressive effect of the federal income tax onredistributing income has declined substantially over thesame period.

The report noted the increasing role that regressivepayroll taxes rather than progressive income taxes play infederal revenues.

The inflation adjusted after tax income for the 1% of thepopulation with the highest income grew 275% over theperiod. The remainder of the top 20% saw their inflationadjusted after tax income grow by 65% and the poorest 20%saw its after tax income grow by only 18%.

Factors in the skewedincome growth at the topincluded the increasing size ofthe financial services industry,and capital gains which aretaxed at a lower rate thanearned income and go to highincome individuals dispropor-tionately.

After-tax household in-come for the top 1% went from8 to 17% of all income.

In fact, the report showedthat the after-tax income of therichest 20% is greater than theother 80% of the populationcombined at 53% of allincome.

• • • • •

How Would They Cut Senior Programs? Let Us Count the Ways

As the Republican primary race for president hasnarrowed, leaving former House Speaker Newt Gingrich andformer Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney to duke it outas the “mainstream” candidates, the question is where do theystand on issues of relevance to seniors. Gingrich would giveolder Americans a private Social Security account option,similar to the partial privatization scheme proposed byGeorge W. Bush. Quoted in the Boston Globe, Gingrich saidabout those who prefer that Social Security be maintained asit is at present, “if you are dumb enough that you prefer to getless money with less control while relying on politicians,that’s your prerogative. You’re an American. You’re allowedto be dumb.”

Meanwhile, Romney would control Medicare costs bygiving seniors the choice of government insurance as atpresent or to use a federal voucher to purchase private healthinsurance. Out-of-pocket costs were not detailed in Romney’splan, though he has proposed raising the eligibility age forMedicare from 65 to some unspecified older age.

OSARCers on the food line at the November meeting.

Fred Ranzoni

Jim Arangio, right, andManny Friedman, 2 right,n d

on the lunch line.

OSARC Newsletter • December 2011 • Page 10

Super Committee Dies A Deserved Death;Don’t Celebrate Just Yet

As the corporate media seemed to lament the passing ofthe Super Committee’s November 23 deadline for achievingrd

agreement on debt reduction proposals, many progressiveeconomists have instead been celebrating that failure,convinced that the Committee’s aims were both dangerousand poorly thought out.

Rep ub l i ca ns we reunwilling to increase taxes orend the Bush tax cuts on thewealthy, but they were will-ing to implement a range ofproposals that would haveundermined Social Securityand Medicare. Proposalsfloated in the period beforethe deadline included raisingthe Medicare eligibility ageto 67 and changing theformula for cost-of-livingincreases for Social Security.

The failure to take actionmeans $1.2 trillion in auto-matic spending cuts will start

in 2013, evenly split between defense and non-defensespending. The shape of those cuts will largely be determinedby two factors – the 2012 presidential and congressionalelections on the one hand and the ability of the Occupy WallStreet movement or the spirit and concerns it embodies tocapture the imagination of Americans and bring thoseconcerns about income inequality and distribution to the fore.

Economist Dean Baker of the Center for Economic andPolicy Research, writing in the British Guardian newspapersaid, “the supercommittee was about finding a backdoor wayto cut Social Security and Medicare, and create enough coverthat Congress could get away with it.”

Baker observes that America does not have a chronicdeficit problem and the present austerity fever is a ginned upcampaign of fear-mongering engineered by those who havebenefitted from decades of increasing upward incomeinequality.

He notes “the deficit (had been) projected to remain near(1.2% of GDP) for the immediate future, even if the Bush taxcuts did not expire as scheduled in 2011. If the tax cuts wereallowed to expire then the budget was projected to turn tosurplus. All this changed when the collapse of the housingbubble wrecked the economy. The story is simple, thehousing bubble generated over $1 trillion in annual demandby stimulating record levels of construction and causing ahome equity-driven consumption boom. This demanddisappeared when the bubble burst. This is what created thelarge deficits that we are now seeing.”

Baker points out that the real problem is “a Congress thatis too corrupt and/or incompetent to rein in the sort of WallStreet excesses that wrecked the economy,” not a Congressthat would not deal with the deficit.

In Baker’s view, “thesupercommittee created anend-run around the normalcongressional process. This wasa long held dream of the peoplefinanced by investment bankerPete Peterson. Their idea wasthat it would not be possible tomake major cuts to SocialSecurity and Medicare throughthe normal congressional processbecause these programs are toopopular.”

Last year, a presidentialcommission chaired by Erskine Bowles and former SenatorAlan Simpson went down this road. And, when that effortthankfully foundered, the supercommittee was set in motion.

Baker credits the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement.for producing substantial change in the national debate, withincome inequality and the upward shift of incomes andwealth over the past decades again on the radar screen.

Baker argues that “Congress must be forced to addressthe real crisis facing the country: the 26 million people whoare unemployed, underemployed, or out of the labor forcealtogether. This would not be difficult if we had a functionalCongress.” He urges the sort of increased public spending oninfrastructure and jobs creation that has historically beenshown to stimulate economic activity when private sectoreconomic activity dries up.

Baker adds, “if we got adequate funding to state and localgovernments, they would not be laying off 30,000 workers amonth. We have a serious need for rebuilding ourinfrastructure... And, we can promote work sharing whichwould encourage employers to keep workers on the jobinstead of putting them on the unemployment rolls.”

To support the argument, Baker notes, ‘as the financialmarkets keep telling us, the budget deficit is not a problem;otherwise the interest rate on 10-year Treasury bonds wouldnot be 2%.”

“There is a long-term issue with the deficit, but as everybudget analyst knows, this is a health care story. If the UnitedStates fixes its health care system, then the deficit will not bea major problem.”

Renee Bash

Treasurer Christine Das (left)with member Gloria D’Jaha.

OSARC Newsletter • December 2011 • Page 11

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Happy Birthday to OSA Retirees Born in December!Raphael Agbune, Mahmoud Sami Ali, William Allen, Tiva Amaritnant, Michael Ambrosia, Elliot Ames, ThomasAndrews, Francisco Arcentales, Kwame Asante, Joyce Badawy, Carlton Baldwin, Judith Balos, Ruthena Barcus,Mary Bardy, Edith Joan Barrow, Richard Barth, Eileen Bartky, James Beavan, Yolanda Womack Beckett, AnneBeller, Carolyn Bennett, Edward Bianchi, Haripal Bisnath, Shirley Bonadie, Joseph Bonelli, Elizabeth Borden,Harry Bragg, Helen Brandt, Connie Bray, Joyce Bronstorph, Robert L. Brown, Brian Burke, Anasuya Cacarla,Michael Calabrese, Denise Campbell, Ann Marie Caso, Gerard Castagna, Peter Chan, Lana Cherry, Arthur Chigas, I d aChin, Irwin Cohen, Stanley Cutchins, Benjamin Dairo, Richard M Dalrymple, Pratip Dasgupta, Patrick Dennis, Munir Din, EllenDiner, Ronald Dobson, Anna Donovan, John Duarte, Vincent Dufour, Philip Eisman, Mark Farrell, Joseph Faure, William Fellows,Diana Ferebee, Charles Fitzpatrick, Robert Forseth, Shirley Gilliam, Mary Giraldi, Edwina Glasco, Neil Godden, Irwin Goldberg,Tatyana Golovitser, Eugene Gorman, Mary C. Gorman, Arlene T Gray, James Green Jr., Josefino Gumpeng, Noela Haddock, EdmundHall, Sharon Harris, James Hazley, Gwendolyn Henderson, Dorothy Henry, Veronica Hill-Lewis, Francis Hillis, Joseph Holdampf,Dallas Holder, Rita Honekman, David Hyde, Steve Iovino, Daniel Jacobson, Anna James-Bowers, Elizabeth Jones, William Jones,Peter Kanakaris, George Keenan, Marina Khasileva, Alfred Klein, John Klumpp, Harold R. Knox, Diane Koehler, Henry Korobelnik,Edward S Lakner, Carmelo Lamarca, Saundra Lamb, George Lang, Robert Lawrence, Thomas Leonard, Richard Leonard, MartinLewis, Mary Lynch, Richard Matarangelo, John Mauldin, Michael McCray, Maria McGhee, Bruce Mednick, Neil Mendelsohn, JohnMertz, Joseph Miller, Michael Minis, Cordelia Moore, Sadad Morcos, James Moss Jr., Patricianne Murnane, Virginia Murphy, T.Rasul Murray, James Murray, James Murray, Robert Nelson, Gladstone R. Nicholson, William Noehren, Theresa Norris, JoyceO'Connor, Daniel Orlando, Gloria Page, Larry Pappert, Ronald Parente, Aruna Patel, Bertdella Patterson, Robert Pellicci, RaymondPetty, Phyllis Pittinsky, Vincent Pizzo, Peter A. Prestia, Helene Price, Risa Puld, Michael Pysiewski, Harris Rachlin, LawrenceRacioppo, Carmine Rebuth, Theodore Reich, Jean Reilly, Ruth Reinecke, Harold Rhodes Jr, Dolores Rice, Martin Ricketts, ShirleyRicks, Patricia Robinson, Frances Roker, Selma Rubinstein, Robert Ruger, Robert Rush, Claire Samuel, Rekha Schoumaker, MariaSegarra, Naresh Sharma, Gail Siegal, Susan Silvestro, Sureshwar Prasad Singh, Thomas Smith, Elaine Smith, Kalman Soloway, GilbertSorenson, Pearl Sternberg, Larry Stevens, Ekram Tadros, Gloria Tapper, Elizabeth Thomas, Debra A Thomas, Rosemarie Torres,Olga Vargas, Sarah R. Vilar, Michael J. Vincent, Karmelita Walker, Bassanio Wong, Geraldine A. Wooden, Judith Woods, SimeonWright, Roy Yearwood, Anita Yurman-King, Margie Zinzi�������������������������������������������������������������

ACTIVE OSARC MEMBERS [continued from page 12]Charles Nostra Stephen Obeng Procesion Obra David O'Brien Stephen M O'Brien Josephine O'Connell Catherine O'Connell Scot Oestreich Thomas Ogden Sheldon Oliff Patricia Ollison Murray Olsen Henry Opad Edward Ortiz John Ost Kathryn Pacelko Nancy Paganucci Gloria Page Amorita Pakilit Frank Palmieri John Pape James Pappalardo Larry Pappert Gladys Pardo-Medina Jeronimo Paredes Eugene Parker Olivia Parker Carolyn Parker Lucille Parris Melvin Pascoo Roslyn Pasley Aruna Patel Bertdella Patterson Francis Paturas Johnnie Paylor Anita O. Payne Carol Ann Payne Richard Pearlmutter Marisel Pearson-Silver N. Donald Peifer Elba Pelaez Richard Pellecchia Ralph Sr. Pellizzi Delores A.W. Peloso Antony Penel Eileen Pentel Jack F. Perin Millicent Perry Diane Peskin Dean Petrelis Robert Pfefferman William Pfister Mary Ellen Phifer Theodore Phillips Alphaeus Phillips Susan Piccirillo Edward Pick James Pickens Jack Pilchman John Pinto Peter Piroso Arlene Pitt Phyllis Pittinsky Lee Pleva

Vincent R. Polimeni Phyllis Pomerantz Joette Pompeo Pauline Pon Annie J Poole William Pope Peter A. Prestia Joan B Preston Helene Price Van Hazel Pridgen Evelyn Marie Pridgen John Prior Carl Prisco Martin Prokup Lon Protzel Milton Pulakos Risa Puld Morton Pupko Michael Pysiewski Julia Quagliano-Lynn Catherine Quere Michael Quinn Miriam Quintero Harris Rachlin Nilda Ramirez Frederick Ranzoni Ambati Rao Sharon Rashada Patricia Rashkin Edward Rasquin Carmine Rebuth Diana Recor Addie Redman Robert Redmond Thomas Reed Marylin Reed-Borquaye Peter Reese Joseph Reeves Theodore Reich Charles A. Reiche Jeanette Reid Deborah L. Reid Claus Reinisch Fred Reinowitz Ruth Reiser Alex Reyes Harold Rhodes Jr Dolores Rice Dolores Richards Cheryl Richards Jeannette Richardson Lewis Jr Riley Edna Riley Gwendolyn Riley-Roberts Stacey Rindler Raymond Riordan Rudolph K. Ripp Reinert Roaldsen Lloyd Cy Roberts John W. Robinson Jane Robinson Jeffrey Robinson Horace Robinson Pablo Rodriguez

Ophelia Rodriguez Gilbert Rodriguez John F Rohde Barbara L. Roman Richard Ronde Jeanette Roper Allan H Rose John Rose Barry Rosenberg Lewis Rosenblatt Cora Ross Norman Roth Philip Roth Stanley Rothberg Lloyd Rotker Regina Royal Miriam Rubman Anna Rudbarg Ed Ruettiger Robert Ruger Nancy Russell Ouida Russell Lorraine Russo Linda Ryan Waguih Sabongui Luz Salgado Claire Samuel Gloria Samuel Cheryl Samuels Gerald Sanchez Joseph Sanchez Ana Sanchez Sylvia Sands Flora Santana Veronica Saunders Ora Savoy Sheila Sawyer Marc Sawyer Therese Sbano Michael Schady David Schapiro Minna Scharff Melvyn Schecter James Scheller Andrea Scher-Wilson John Schild Elaine Schirmer Charles W Schneider Marcia Schneider Larry Schonfeld Linda Schwab Linda Schwartz Ina Schwartz Barbara J. Schwartz Peter Schweitzer Joseph A Scinto Angelo Scorzelli Mary Seabrooks Tarlochan S Sehmi Ralph Seliger Myra Seltzer Anne Selvyn Ida Sessa Wilma K. Shiffman

Hedvah Shuchman Paula Sierra Sheila Silver Elaine Silver David L. Silverman Dorothy Siminski Adele Simpson Ina Sinclair Mary D Singleton Edward Sisenwein Othello Skeete Dorothy Skelin Robert Sklar Catherine Slade Darlene Slater Saundra Smith Edward Smith Elaine Smith Thomas Smith Harold J Smith Sharon S Snell Gaye Snyder-Inkeles Stewart Solomon Curtis Sommers Gilbert Sorenson Michael Spector Stanley Spector Pauline Spencer Christine Spencer Joseph Sperling Charlotte Spiegel William H. Spong Nikki B. Springer Janette Springle Edmund Squire Adrianne Staley Josef Stampfel Louis C. Starkey Roschel Holland Stearns Darryl Steckler Fred Steinberg Linda Steinhart Mark Steo Bernice Stephens Edythe Sternberg Betty Stewart Jo Ann Stone Trumilla Stone James Story Phyllis Stothers Brenda Stoute Sallie Stroman Penelope Stubbs Chun-Hwai Su Frances Suddreth-Hart Margaret Suite Mortimer Sullivan Andrew Sutton Elaine Suva-Bongiovi Michael P. Swann Thomas V. Tallarico Alfredo L. Tan Tuly Tanenbaum Howard Taphouse

Jean Taylor Marian Taylor Timothy Taylor Mary D Taylor Madeline Taylor Ismini Tegerides Kirsten Telemaque Edward B. Tennant Stuart Tepper Elizabeth Thomas Cindy K Thomas Debra A Thomas Hattie Thomas Deloris Thomas Barbara Thompson Harriet Thrower Willie Mae Timothy Nicholas Titakis Joel Tolchinsky Irene Toler John M. Toman Rosemarie Torres Lorraine Toto Luzviminda A Tuazon Michael Tuccio Bernard Tuchman Patricia Tucker James Tumia Elaine Turkel Emma Turner Carol Twomey Charles Underwood Dorothy Urbaniak Mariano Valentin Josephine Valentin Marjorie A Valleau Joseph Velazquez Annie Vento Edelmira Ventura Doreen Vialet Sarah R. Vilar Michael J. Vincent Ana T. Vives Nona Volk Florence Wagener Vida Wagner Sally Rofofsky Waldman Jay Walia Karmelita Walker Michael Walsh Joy M. Walton Arlinda Walton Joan Wan Renee Wan Yih-Lu Charlie Wang Maggie Ward Elise Ward Joseph Warfield Lorraine Washington Victoria Washington Barbara Washington-Griles Herbert Wasserman Henry Wassmer Jacquelyn Watson

Frances Watson Joanne Webb Saul Weber Ashley Webster Albert Webster Jr. James Wehner Donald Weinberg Ed Weinblatt Olga R. Weiss Rose Weiss-Fischler James Welby Candice Wellman David Welsh Elissa Werbin Erich Werner Shirley Wertheimer Ronald West Grace White Alyce White Joyce White Doris White Rose Terrell Whitehead Stephen Whyte Shirley A. Wiggins Ferdinand Wight Herbert Williams Hazel Williams Margaret Williams Yvonne C Williams Isza Williams-Darlington Dana Wilner Aaron Wilner Dolores Wilson Diana M. Wilson Bettye Wilson Kay Wilson Ronald T. Wilson Shirley Wilson Marva Wilson-Garnes Antoinette Witherspoon Clifford Wolken Spencer Wong Bassanio Wong Peter Wood Jessica Woodcock Geraldine A. Wooden Chester Wooten Noel Worrell Simeon Wright Peggy Wright Benjamin Wright, Jr. Peggy Wright-Noldon Terry Yanishefsky Alice Yap Anita Yurman-King Robert Zappala Daniel Zecchini Leoila Zeigler Margie Zinzi David M. Zirman Phyllis Zito

ACTIVE MEMBERS OFTHE ORGANIZATION OF STAFF ANALYSTS’ RETIREES CLUBSamia A. Abdallah Dena C. Abrams Martin Accardi Gerardo V Afable Peter B Agard Lazarus Agrapides Prakash Ailawadi Michaela C Albanese Frederick Alexander George Alexander Tristan Allas Alice Allen Leslie Allen Adrianne Diane Alpert Dominick Altieri Joseph Alvarez Hakimah Al-Zahra Jo-Ann Ambrogi Gilberte Ambroise Marsha Ambrose Michael Ambrosia Michael Ambrosini Sonny Andersen Paul Anderson Beverly Anderson Aspacia Andros Jean Anmuth Florence Appelstein Arthur D. Aptowitz James Arangio Francisco Arcentales William A. Archipoli Henry Armendinger Robert Armstrong Jimmy Arnold Kwame Asante Ronald Asserson Hanacho Atako Steven August Mario Avvenire Neil Awalt Roger Bachrach Jewel Bachrach Joyce Badawy Jean Baden-Gillette Mary Baez Don Baharav Catherine Baiano Iris Bailey Malkit Bains Steven Balicer Rafiu Balogun Judith Balos Yvette Banks Theodore Barbal Mary Bardy Mary Barlow Charles F. Baroo Beatrice Barr Ted Barra Frances Guttilla Barris Edward Barry Bertrand Barry Richard Barth Eileen Bartky Joseph Bartolomeo Renee Bash William Baskerville Barbara Batts Earl Batts Marjorie Baum James Beavan Henry Beceiro Yolanda Womack Beckett Charles Beckinella Rose Beer Judith Beiss-D'Oronzio Ruth Bell Richard Bell John Bell Joanna Belt Lynn Bender Diana Benitez Carolyn Bennett Maureen Benson Barbara Berg Elaine Silodor Berk Herman Berkowitz Ira Berman Margarita Bermudez Marilyn Bernard George Bernett Carolyn Berry Regina Berry John L Besignano Earlene Bethel Vidyadhar Bhide Joyce Bialik Saul Bick Beatrice Bildner Haripal Bisnath Barbara Black Robert Blaich Helen Blecher Robert Bleiberg Phyllis Blonder Timothy Bohen Shirley Bonadie Elizabeth Borden William Borock Carmine Borzelli Carol Bowers Renee Boyce Earlene Toni Brabham Helen Brandt Edward Braverman Connie Bray Carmen Bray Wayne Brelowski Maureen Brennan Eddie Marie Brodie Everett Lawrence Brogdon Joyce Bronstorph Yvonne Broughton Michella Brown Willie Brown Herbert Brown

Carol Brown Jean Dertinger Brown Rosemary O. Brown Angella Brown Gloria Brown Diane Brown Jeanette Brown Richard Brown Marcia Brown Shirley Brugman James Bucchino Barbara Buchanan Priscilla Budden John Buhler Joseph Burden Joe Burgess Theresa Burke Kenneth Burton Patricia Burton Joseph Bushe Joseph O. Buster Dorothy Byrd Anasuya Cacarla James Cacopardo Carren Cain-West Velma Callender Eugene G. Calvert Diana Calvert Vijya Campagne Peter Campanelli Denise Campbell John Campobasso Barbara Canning Joan Capel Joseph Cappiello Carmelo Carbone John Carbone Sanford Carbonelli Burton Carlin Jole Carliner Francisco Carlos Joseph Caron Henrietta Carpentier Phyllis Carr Blanca Carranza Annette J Carrington Belinda L Carroll Barbara Carroll Philip Carroll Maxine Carter William Carter Patricia Caruso Jose Casais Arthur Cash Donald Casiere Gerard Castagna Immaculate Castaldo Louis Celi Janice Cerra Jean Claude Ceus Lois Chaffee Suzanne Chait-Magenheim Peter Chan Sho-Chun (Sue) Chang Johnsie Cheatham Stephen Chenenky Kuttikattu Cherian Arthur Chigas Dolores Choate Estelle Chodosh Himangshu Chowdhury William Ciporen Marilyn Cirrone John P. Clark Margaret Clay Joyce Cleary Joyce Cleveland Hattie M Cleveland Harry Cliadakis Allen J. Coates Jay Cohen Arthur C Cohen Martin Cohen George Cohen Sheldon Cohn Rosalee Coleman Patricia Coleman Glynton Coleman Linda Coleman Richard Dennis Coleman Judith Collazzi Gloria Colon Harry T Colter Marlene Connor James Conolly William Considine Anthony M Cook James Corleto Hannibal Coscia Peter J Costa Henrietta Council Charles Covella Ted L. Cox Esther Crayton William Cregan Maria L. Crisci Robert Croghan Richard J. Crowe Carmen Cruz-Camardesi Richard Cunningham Stanley Cutchins Gerald Czermendy Joseph D'Aiello Carol J Dailey Benjamin Dairo Marilyn Daitsman Richard M Dalrymple Maureen D'Amato Dolores Daniels Christine Das Prabhat Das Elizabeth D'Aversa Frances David Noreen Davidsen Edward Davis Judy De Leo Francis Dedario

Antonio DeGrella Rufina DeGuzman Edwin P Dei Rose Del Gaudio Una Delaney Mavis Delgado John Dellecave Don Delorenzo Janet Deluca Ralph DeMattia Chiquita Denny Cynthia DePalma Bonnie Dermack Constance Desanti Theodore DeSantis Sybil DeVeaux Mary Diaz Richard W. DiBari Rochelle Brodsky DiCristofalo Vincent DiGesu James DiMarco Munir Din Philip Dinanzio, Jr Gloria Djaha Jack M. Dobrow Audrey N Doman Nancy Donahue Joseph Donatuto John L. Donlon Nancy Dorn William A. Douglas George M Drakos Carla A. Drije Christine Dudley James Duffield Vincent Dufour Walter J. Dugan Thomas Duggan Mary Ann D'ulisse Kevin Duncan Martha Easparro Lenore Eato James Ecock James Egan William Eglinton Philip Eisman Martina Elam Loyola Eleutiza Robert Ellis Jr. Terrence J Ellison Barbara Elstein Laura Engler May Engler Gloria Erardy Linda Erickson Rollie Eubanks Tillie A Evans Joyce Eversley Michael Falzarano Frank Farkas John Farley Elizabeth Farrell Mark Farrell Camille Fatto Patria Fausto Pauline Feingold Mildred Feinstein Steven Feldman Irene Feldman-Tomaino Diana Ferebee Sandra Fernandez Carol Fernandez Alice Fichtelberg Mercedes Fieulleteau Betty Figueroa Joan Fillot Barbara Fimmano Georgia Finch Richard Fink Francine Finkel Joel Fishelson Myles D Fishman Pamela Fishman Mary Flannelly Philip Flaum David Fleischmann Linnette Flowers-Cephus Gerald Flynn Essie Flynn Judy Flynn Daniel Flynn William Foote Constance Ford Kenneth Forde Henry Foster Allen Foster Flora Foster Harold Fowler Edna Fraylon James Freaney Alan Freilicher Margaret Lange Freud Manuel Friedman Joeddy Friszell Sebelee Fye-Banks Armand Gabriele Grace Gabrielsen Esther Gaines Renee Galkin Kenneth Gallo Araceli Gamboa Julia Gant Sonia E Garrastegui Daphney Garrison Antoine Gautier Thomas Geary Jr Alexander Gelleri Boushra Ghaly Marguerite Ghartey Eleanor Gibson Marie Gill Shirley Gilliam Shirley Gilliam Mary Giraldi Robert Giunta Edwina Glasco Leslie I Glenn

Carol Ann Glover Frank Glover Charles S Gmelch Irwin Goldberg Jeffrey Goldstein Tatyana Golovitser Jorge Gomez Pedro Gonzalez Manuel Gonzalez Myrna Gonzalez Ernesto L. Gonzalez Myra R. Goralski Jeanne N Gorbatcheff Joan Gordon Bernice Gordon Minette Gorelik Tom Gorse Sheila Gorsky Timothy Goss Eli Gottlieb Sherman Gould Stanley Granat Mary Grannum Mary Elaine Grant-Tepper Sally Graudons Alonzo Graves Arlene T Gray Eleanor Gray Donald Greco Elaine Greene Richard M Greene Bruce Greengart Susan Greenhouse Lewis Greenstein Stephen Gregor Thomas J. Griffin Joel Grill Mary E Gropp Marcia Grossberg Martin Grower Alfred Guerra Frank Gulino Josefino Gumpeng Albert Gundersheimer Mary L Gunn-Hardison Tilak R. Gupta Leslie Guthrie Horacio Gutierrez Estelle Guttbinder Henry Haegele Myra Hailey Phyllis Hailstock Arthur Haimo Marguerite Hajduk Yvonne Hajjar Edmund Hall Claire Hall Sandra Halstuch Alicia Hamill Lucille Hamilton John Hannigan Robert Hanrahan Katherine Hansen George Hansen Cleve A Hanson Frances Nadine Hapaz Geraldine Hardiman Sandra Hardison Thomas Harnisher Michael Harris Sharon Harris Gussie Harris John M. Hastey Chandra Hauptman Stanley Hauptman Mildred Hawkins Yvonne Hazlewood Charles Healy Iris Hecht Thomas Hedderson Annette Heim Beth Heller Nancy Hellman Marjorie Helms Elizabeth Henderson Jacquelyn Henderson Robert Henke Jr Paul Henry Saundra Henry Barbara Herman Cynthia Harris Hernandez Lisa Hernandez John Heron, Jr. Thomas Hickey Lorraine Hickey Francis Hillis Veronica Hill-Lewis Mary Hillman Isalyn Hinds Ernest F Hinkson Sylvia Hodge Gerard Hogan Joseph Holdampf Andrew Hollander Jacqueline Holmes-Boyd Lena Holt Rita Honekman Marion House Carolyn Hubbard Clark Hudson Barbara Hunt Robert Peter Hurley Azeeza Hurston Sandra Hurston Nadine Hurwitz Maria Ibanez Haydee Inclan Margaret Ingram Ana M Irizarry-Ibrahim Mark Isacoff Janyce Jackson Pearl Jackson Brenda Ann Jackson Evelyn Jackson Rosalia Jackson Valerie Jackson Delores Jacobs

Daniel Jacobson Lawrence Jahoda Pauline James Calvin James Janice James Anna James-Bowers Ina Jenkins Loretta Jenkins-Valencia Gloria Jimenez Ingrid Johnson Charlie L. Johnson Marilyn Johnson James L Johnson Lorraine Johnson Cladie Johnson Valentino Johnson Wilhelmena Jones Roslyn Jones Flora Jones Emma Jordan Deirdre Jordan Karol Joswick Amy Kahn Armand Kaladjian Melvin Kalmanowitz Herschel Kaminsky Arnold Kaplan Elisabeth Karetzky Robert Keifer Jeffrey Keller John Kelly Lorraine Kelly John Kelly Margaret Kelly Barbara Kemp Jeannie Kempson Daniel Kenny Carol A. Keyser Eleanor Kinard Harry King Kathleen Kinney Bruce Kirkland Elizabeth Klaber Laura Kleeman Alfred Klein Harold R. Knox Vivian Shapiro Kochanoff Marie-Ann Koegler Diane Koehler Jules Kohn Lee Kong Henry Korobelnik Marilyn Kozin Jean Krampner Jerome Kraus Sandra Krentcil Jane Kronholtz Robert Kuhl Hermann Kuhland Jan Kwartowitz Adele Kwaw Edward S Lakner Diane Lalondriz Wing Lam Lawrence Lamanna Saundra Lamb Teresa B. LaNeve George Lang Dolores Lapin-Curley Norman Larsen Jose A Latorre Edward Lavin Charles Lawrence Betty K Lee Kaye Lee Barbara LeGoff Stu Leibowitz Joel Leichter Robert Lenney Thomas Leonard Nicholas Lesanti Gloria Levan Howard Levin Roger Levin Morton Levine Stephen Levine Yury Levit Rosanne Levitt Lewis Levy Mark Lewis Fred Lieber Joyce Liechenstein Michael Light Jayne Lindberg Barbara Linder Clare Linnie Mary Listefski Helen Liu Marilyn Liveric Yvette Livingston-Brown Lillie R Lockhart Leopold Loher Patrick Lok Brenda Lomax Lucille Long Emil Loreaux Marlene Lorraine Rosa Lovejoy Eileen Lovett Chien Sau Lu Joseph Lucas Grace Lucas Hattie Lucas Flora Lucchese Mary Ludvigsen Paul Lurie Marvin Lutenberg Cheryl E. Lyttle Olga Lyubavina Rose Maconi Leo Maher Henry Mandel Nilsa Mangual-Rios Michael Manzolillo William Marchuk Angela Marino Carol Marker

John Maroney Claire Maroney Robert Marshall Roberta Martell Claire N Martes Ralph Martinez Marylou Martucci Edna Silas Marungo Martha Masnyj Dorothy Mason Shirley Mason Jeffrey Massey Denis Massey Peter Mastropolo Antoinette Matijevich Eric Matusewitch George Maurer Letitia Maxwell Anita Maya Morris Mayo Winnifred Mayo-Pena John Mazzarella Weltha McCant Lloyd McCool Michael McCray Kathleen McDonough Thomas McEnery Joyce McFarlane Thomas McGann Stephen McGarry Maria McGhee Jannie M. McGill John Dennis McGreen Camilla M. McGuire Charles McHugh Blanche McIver James McKeon Mary Ann McKinney Kathie Mclain William McLane Velma McLaughlin James McMahon Amelia McNeil Jefferson James J McQuade Carolyn McQueen Matthew Meagher Bruce Mednick Maureen C Meehan Ronald Meekins David Mei Velarie Melvin Neil Mendelsohn Pearlie Mennell Runie Mensche Margarita Mercado Samuel Merson John Mertz Michael Meyer Francis Meyer James Meyer Lillithe E Meyers Thomas Mezzatesta Carol Michaels Joseph Mickens Harold Middleton Renato Milani John Milat Angelina Miller Joseph F Miller Allan Miller Natalie Millner Ruth Mingoia Michael Minis Alice Mitchell Richard Mitchell Geraldine Mitchell-Jones John Mobyed Michael J Molinari Thomas Monahan Thomas P Monahan Jr. Ralph Mondella Barbara Monroe Barbara Mont Helen D Moody Cordelia Moore Gloria Morales Daniel Morgan Felice Morris Perla Morris Barbara Morris Hope Morris Barbara Y Muhammad Donna Mulgrave Susan Mullgrav Anita Mullin Robert Multari Margaret Munnelly Patricianne Murnane Michael Murphy James Murphy Mary H Murphy Alfred Murphy Joseph Murphy James Murray Irene Murray Ruth Murray Thomas Murray Elizabeth A Myers John F Nash Gabriel Neama Kathleen Neary-Burns Melba Neely Yvonne Negron Jerry Nelson James Nelson Robert Nelson Annie Newell Helene Newmark Lillian Ngai Erwin F Nied Yolanda Nixon Elizabeth Nobile Kathryn Nocerino William Noehren Theresa Norris Joseph Norton

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