NJ Cops Jan19 | Page 16

HEALTH BENEFITS REPORT The rate decrease did happen To borrow a phrase from my kids, “That just happened.” The rate decreases that we told you about in the September issue of NJ Cops Magazine came to fruition in the first pension check of 2019. Chapter 330 retirees have realized a huge de- crease in their premiums. In terms of percent- age of premium, the decreases ranged from 36.9 percent to 37.1 percent. That is not a misprint! The efforts in the pre- scription plan were the source of most of the increase, and cost controls in the medical plan funded the rest. There were also surplus monies in the rate stabilization fund that may or may not be available next year for subsidizing rates, but over all, this is a huge win for our members. It is important for you to know that these savings were de- rived from what were exclusively union initiatives and the re- sult of groundbreaking decisions made by the PBA and other organizations. More importantly, we aren’t done yet — there are more ar- eas to explore and more efficient ways to deliver healthcare that we will bring to you in the near future. The Law Firm of Alterman & Associates, LLC Stuart J. Alterman, Esquire Arthur J. Murray, Esquire Timothy J. Prol, Esquire Proudly representing Law Enforcement and Public Safety for a combined 80 years Contract Negotiation Contract Arbitration Grievances/ Arbitration Discipline Defense Whistleblower /CEPA Hostile Work Environment Pension/Disability Appeals Criminal Defense Workers Compensation Personal Injury Human Resource Issues Civil Rights Litigation Administrative One Stop Shop for Public Safety Alterman & Associates, LLC have been an approved law firm with the PBA Legal Protection Plan since its inception. South Jersey Location North Jersey Location 8 South Maple Avenue, Marlton, NJ 08053 22 Church Street, Haledon, NJ 07508 (856) 334-5737 (973) 956-1621 [email protected] www.altermanandassociates.com www.NJPoliceAttorney.com www.NJCorrectionsAttorney.com 16 NEW JERSEY COPS ■ JANUARY 2019