Toussaint Says TWU is “Selling Out”
TWU retirees face a broken path as Medicare Advantage looms ahead—promising savings but delivering restrictions.
The ongoing controversy over TWU Local 100’s decision to transition retirees into Medicare Advantage feels like watching the finale of a long-running drama—only instead of a plot twist, we get betrayal. What should have been a hard-earned promise of stable healthcare has become a corporate sleight-of-hand that places profits over people. Former TWU Local 100 President, Roger Toussaint’s recent interview with TWU100R (a retirees' collective representing and advocating for the interests, benefits, and rights of retired transit workers) cuts through the official spin and raises serious alarms that cannot be ignored. Let’s dive deeper into what’s happening, what’s at stake, and why this fight is critical—not just for retirees but for every union member.
Medicare dis-Advantage
Let’s be clear: Medicare Advantage is not simply an “enhanced” version of traditional Medicare. It is privatization by another name. While Local 100’s leadership insists that this switch is for retirees' benefit—citing reduced co-pays and increased Part B reimbursements—it ignores a darker reality. Medicare Advantage plans are notorious for their pre-authorization requirements and narrow networks, forcing retirees to jump through hoops just to get necessary care.
In fact, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) found that Medicare Advantage plans inappropriately denied care in a significant number of cases, with only 1% of denials ever being appealed due to the complexity and stress involved. As Marianne Pizzitola, president of the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees, said, “Traditional Medicare is an open plan with few prior authorizations... If a doctor orders a test or procedure, the patient gets it.” Under Medicare Advantage, however, private insurers—not doctors—decide what care is necessary.
This erosion of care doesn’t just hurt retirees; it undermines the union’s foundational promise to protect its members through every stage of their lives. Toussaint himself warns that by accepting this shift, the union is setting a dangerous precedent: “If retirees' benefits can be reduced today, active members will face similar challenges tomorrow.”
Leadership’s Spin vs. Reality
TWU Local 100 leadership claims the switch to Medicare Advantage is necessary to secure federal subsidies and provide financial sustainability. They’ve touted it as “better” care—emphasizing perks like zero co-pays on certain services. But numbers don’t lie: Even with attractive reimbursements and reduced co-pays, the trade-off for retirees is stark. Pre-authorization delays, denials of care, and limited provider networks—all of which are common in Medicare Advantage—are not just inconveniences; they are risks to retirees' health and wellbeing.
Let’s be honest—no amount of fancy language or financial incentives can mask the fact that the primary motivation behind Medicare Advantage is profit, not patient care. Privatizing retiree healthcare creates a conflict of interest where the goal becomes reducing costs for insurers, often at the expense of patient outcomes. As Toussaint puts it: "This isn’t just a bad decision; it’s a betrayal of everything the union stands for.”
Active Members beware
What’s at stake here goes beyond retiree healthcare—it’s about the future of union-negotiated benefits for all members. If leadership can erode retiree benefits today, what’s to stop them from making similar concessions for active members in the future? The trend of corporate healthcare infiltration into public sector unions is not unique to TWU. New York City municipal retirees are locked in a similar battle against Mayor Adams’ efforts to transition them to Medicare Advantage, highlighting the larger, national trend toward privatization of public benefits.
And let’s not forget that many union members will eventually become retirees. By weakening retiree healthcare now, the current administration is undermining not only today’s retirees but also the future security of every active worker.
“Healthcare is a cornerstone of our fight because without it, everything else falls apart.”
Why This Fight Matters
This healthcare debacle is about more than just one bad policy—it’s about the soul of the union. For over a century, unions have stood for solidarity, security, and fairness. TWU Local 100 leadership is breaking that solidarity and sending a clear message: financial convenience trumps member wellbeing. As Evangeline Byars, a current labor advocate and candidate for President of TWU Local 100, pointed out, “Healthcare is a cornerstone of our fight because without it, everything else falls apart.”
Byars has made protecting retirees a key part of her platform, and her commitment to fighting Medicare Advantage deserves our support. She understands that unions are only as strong as their weakest link—and right now, that link is the retirees left to fend off corporate insurers on their own. Byars represents a return to the principles of solidarity and long-term thinking that unions were built on.
The Time to Act is Now
The fight over retiree healthcare is not just a retiree issue—it’s an issue for every active union member, every future retiree, and every person who believes in the power of collective action. The decision to force retirees into Medicare Advantage isn’t just shortsighted—it’s dangerous. As Toussaint warns, “This is a slippery slope, and once we start down it, there’s no going back.”
We need leadership that will fight for all of us—not just today, but for the years and decades ahead. That’s why I’m endorsing Evangeline Byars for TWU Local 100 President. Byars has made healthcare her priority, and she understands that real leadership means standing up for every member, at every stage of life.
It’s time to reject the false promises of Medicare Advantage, restore retiree healthcare, and rebuild the solidarity that makes our union strong. The stakes couldn’t be higher—and the choice couldn’t be clearer.
Let’s elect Evangeline Byars of the Stronger Together slate and take our union back.
