Reply #1: I have tried to get this noticed before. No one seems to care. [View All]

[madfloridian]

It appears they are sacrificing those over 65 to the corporate greed so that those who want to retire early can be insured. This will affect us, and millions of others.....many of those affected are uninsurable.

Here is another article yesterday from the NYT:
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Medicare-Retirees.html

And another:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/23/politics/23RETI.html

SNIP..." The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission voted Thursday to allow employers to reduce or eliminate health benefits for retirees when they become eligible for Medicare at age 65.

The agency approved a final rule saying that such cuts do not violate the civil rights law banning age discrimination. The vote was 3 to 1, with Republicans lining up in favor of the rule and a Democrat opposing it.

Employers and some labor unions supported the change, saying it would help preserve coverage for early retirees. But AARP, which represents millions of Americans age 50 and older, strenuously objected.

The new rule creates a potentially explosive political issue, because it will create anxiety for many of the 12 million Medicare beneficiaries who also receive health benefits from their former employers....."