Medicare-eligible UFT retirees will remain in their current health plans for the time being after a state judge’s ruling triggered a delay in the launch of the New York City Medicare Advantage Plus Plan.

Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Lyle Frank ruled on March 3 that the city’s decision to charge retirees an additional $191 a month if they opted out of the new health plan to remain in GHI Senior Care violated the city’s administrative code. After that ruling, UFT President Michael Mulgrew withdrew the union’s support for starting the new plan on April 1 and urged the Municipal Labor Committee to suspend its efforts to begin the program until all the implementation and legal issues are resolved.

The next day, the Adams administration announced the plan would not be implemented on April 1 as planned, and all retirees would remain in their current health plans at the current rates until further notice. Retirees do not have to take any action.

“Our retirees deserve better,” Mulgrew said. “While the NYC Medicare Advantage Plus plan is sound, the program has suffered from serious implementation problems and poor legal arguments, particularly on the part of the city.”

The program is now on indefinite hold while the Adams administration appeals the judge’s ruling.

“We know this situation has caused great stress for UFT retirees, but we hope this latest news brings you some relief,” Mulgrew and Retired Teachers Chapter Leader Tom Murphy wrote in a joint March 4 email to the retirees.