After 7 Years, Albany To Reimburse Police Retirees For Medicare

The city's past practice of reimbursing for Medicare Part B to Albany Police Department retirees and their spouses over 65 years old was reaffirmed by a state Supreme Court Appellate Division decision. Art Scheuermann, an attorney who represented Albany police officers, civilians and communications units with the local union Council 82, said in late 2009, Albany stopped reimbursing for Medicare Part B — which covers nonhospital health services. The courts determined Albany violated civil service law when it stopped the reimbursement without negotiating the terms in a contract, which has been a practice since 1983, Scheuermann said. With the rising costs of Medicare, municipalities have tried to find ways to cut costs — one of them being eliminating or capping the reimbursement of Medicare Part B.