Retirees May Get Voice on Health Insurance Board

Senator Nellie Rivera-O’Reilly (I) recently brought her first piece of legislation before the VI Legislature’s Health Committee for consideration. Bill number 28-0033 sought to place two government retirees on the Government Employees Service Commission (GESC), also known as the Government Group Health Insurance Board, advisory committee. Also proposed was Bill number 28-0052, sponsored by Senator Patrick Simeon Sprauve (D) which instead would place two retirees on the actual Group Health Insurance Board rather than the advisory committee. After a 2 ½ hour lively debate, a combined bill passed favorably out of the Health committee and is awaiting action in the Rules Committee.

The hearing featured the following testifiers: AARP VI State Director, Denyce Singleton; Chairman of the GESC/Health Insurance Board, Mr. John Abramson, Jr.; and Director of the Government’s Division of Personnel, Mr. Kenneth Hermon. All testifiers supported the concept of giving government retirees a voice in making health insurance decisions that impact the retiree population. 

According to State Director Singleton, “Senator O’Reilly’s bill was a great start, but it is AARP’s ultimate goal to secure a retiree seat at the table where they can be part of the discussions and the decision making process. AARP Virgin Islands sees the need to not just have a retiree sit on an advisory committee, but instead to be an independent, strong voice who will be able to fully participate.”

Singleton stressed her reason for wanting a retiree on the board and justified her desire for voting status by indicating that, “The growing pool of younger, Baby Boomer retirees have unique health insurance concerns. People in the 50-64 age group are too young to enroll in Medicare, yet this is the period in which health care issues begin to change for them. At this stage, health insurance becomes a major concern.”

The idea for the bill came to Senator O’Reilly as she spoke to voters on the campaign trail last year. It was specifically prompted by an AARP Voter’s Guide question. This led to a discussion she had with AARP representatives who spoke about the need for America to reform its health care system and specifically the delicate situation that retirees in the 50-64 age group experience all across America.

Because of AARP’s early involvement in the issue, Senator O’Reilly invited Denyce Singleton to participate in the hearing and provide testimony on the issue. Members from the local St. Croix AARP Chapter also came to witness the legislative discussions and demonstrate their desire to have health insurance representation.

At the end of the day, Senators decided that Bill No. 28-0033 should be amended to include government retirees in the advisory role as well as on the health insurance board. It is the intention of the Legislature to rewrite Bill No. 28-0033 and combine both bills (Bill No. 28-0033 and Bill No.28-0052) to give retirees a seat on the advisory council and the full decision making board. The revised bill will be forwarded to the Rules Committee where it is anticipated to be approved. State Director Singleton asks that all AARP government retirees monitor the bill’s progress at subsequent hearings and be present to demonstrate their support when the final bill comes before the Committee of the Whole.