Don’t Abandon SHIP
Unity votes in secret for a 100% premium increase
At the SHIP (Supplemental Health Insurance Plan) Annual Trustees Meeting last Friday, December 5 2025, there was a vote to double SHIP premiums (from $120 to $240 per year), to increase them by 100% starting on July 1, 2026. I can’t tell you about the discussion that took place during executive session, but I will tell you the vote was not unanimous. I voted against it, but it passed 4-3. (The SHIP trustees are Elementary VP Karen Alford, Secretary Leroy Barr, retiree Gloria Brandman, Assistant Treasurer Tom Brown, Treasurer Victoria Lee, retiree Michele Rayvid, and myself.)
A premium increase might be necessary, but not a hundred percent, not double our current amount. The numbers we saw are based on assumptions about some recent benefit increases. But the data isn’t complete yet; it is still coming in. This much of an increase could use retiree premiums to fund a very large surplus for SHIP. That does not seem right. We could have waited a year and found that a smaller increase would have been more appropriate.
SHIP is well run. SHIP gives back to its members. We haven’t had a premium increase in fifteen years, since 2007, which is a good thing. But a 100% premium increase is more than we need at this time. And any increase should be discussed with retirees first.
It’s time we trust our members.
- Bennett Fischer
Retiree Advocate is opposed to doubling SHIP premiums for retirees. We urge retirees to contact the SHIP trustees, and tell them: Rethink your decision. Use our premiums to pay for running SHIP, not for building a savings account. Discuss all changes with retirees.
Support Retire Advocate/UFT
RetireeAdvocate.org
retireeadvocate@gmail.com
I understand that health care costs are rising faster than inflation and that this is not the fault of the UFT. All I want is some straight talk and openness to consider our options. The premium free plan and all the other benefits from SHIP, dental etc are under extreme pressures that stand to intensify. What’s the plan? We are subjected to a cutback here, a co pay there and so on. Death by a thousand cuts?
We received the letter. It was necessary. It was long overdue. This means SHIP is asking for $20 now. SHIP had not raised it's rates in 17 years, not 15, plus not It was not done in "secret", because there was representation from the RTC. We have more retirees retiring yearly plus we're a large union. Isn't our goal to get Tier 6 down to 55 too? We need to make sure we can afford it. Not every union has a SHIP nor reaps it's benefits. We've accumulated additional benefits along with increases in some. If you do not want this, stop participating. It's voluntary. We know under the Trump cuts we're not going to get any additional monies from the federal government coming into NY state, let alone the city. You'll never say this, but I will... THANK YOU, UNITY. Our Union won't let you down.