State retirees oppose plan to shift to a Medicare Advantage plan

The Vermont State Employees’ Association is gearing up for a fight with Gov. Phil Scott’s administration over whether retired state employees should be moved over to a private Medicare Advantage plan, VT Digger reports. State officials say such a switch, which could come Jan. 1, 2023, at the earliest, would maintain the same level of coverage that retirees currently enjoy and save them an average of 20% on their premiums, the report says. The state and retirees together would save about $9 million a year, according to Beth Fastiggi, commissioner of the Vermont Department of Human Resources.