Mass Retirees

Weekly Update, May 22, 2026: Mass Retirees members know that a main aspect of our day-to-day work focuses on retirees’ continued access to high quality and affordable health insurance, and healthcare. Sharply higher costs, combined with tightening state & local budgets, put these benefits at risk.

This week we return to the topic of healthcare to report on recent activity involving our Association, as well as administrative and legislative activity focusing on specific reforms.

Last Thursday, Mass Retirees officials participated in two separate important healthcare events: The BCBS 2026 Labor Affairs Forum and a meeting of the Health Policy Commission’s Advisory Committee - on which our Association’s Director of Healthcare and Retirement Advocacy Nancy McGovern is a recent appointee.

Mass Retirees has been a member of the BCBS Labor Forum for more than 40 years. Not only are the Blue’s an excellent source of healthcare information and policy research, but we have long worked closely on all issues impacting municipal insurance plans and, importantly, public retirees.

On the legislative front, action was taken in both the House and Senate this week to further protect public retirees and employees’ access to affordable healthcare. The Committee on Public Service favorably released a Mass Retirees backed bill aimed at requiring transparency in municipal health insurance was reported favorable. Just yesterday, the Senate approved budget amendment #493, which protects GIC enrollees seeking out-of-network care here in Massachusetts.

Finally, yesterday’s meeting of the state’s Group Insurance Commission included discussion on possible steps that can be taken to gain control over the rising costs of healthcare – specially hospital costs here in Massachusetts.

Please look to our Weekly Update email for full details on these issues. The Weekly Update is emailed to all Mass Retirees members, for whom we have a valid email address, every Friday morning at 6:00 AM.

If you are not currently a member of the Mass Retirees Association, we encourage you to please join today using the links below. Given the fight public retirees now face, maintaining a strong well-informed and engaged membership is more important than ever. Please help support the work we are doing on your behalf by becoming a member.

Founded in 1968, Mass Retirees is a private statewide nonprofit membership association advocating on behalf of ALL retired Massachusetts public employees and surviving spouses. If you are a retired Massachusetts public employee, but not currently a member, please join today at https://massretirees.com/new-members-join/

We also offer an Associate Membership option to allow active public employees nearing retirement age to subscribe to our Weekly Update, newsletter, and other informational resources that will keep you well informed and help you better prepare for your future retirement. Subscribe today at https://massretirees.com/subscribe/