PUBLIC EMPLOYEES NOT COVERED BY MEDICARE PART A

WHEREAS, public employees, including teachers, who became 65 after January 1, 1968, have not met the requirements under Social Security for Medicare Part A and are, therefore, not eligible for this benefit; and

WHEREAS, the health costs of the over-65 uncovered group are approximately twice as high as younger age groups; and

WHEREAS, the over-65 group requires a much higher proportion of hospital care, the cost of which is sky rocketing; and

WHEREAS, the over-65 uncovered group does not have adequate means to pay for hospital care or for private health plans, many of which offer skimpy benefits at exorbitant costs:

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers work for amendment of the Social Security Act to cover public employees, including teachers, who became 65 after January 1, 1968, who have not met the requirements under Social Security for Medicare Part A (1968); and

RESOLVED, that AFT support the inclusion of federal annuitants who retired after July 1, 1969, under Plan A of the Medicare amendments to the Social Security Act; and

RESOLVED, that, if this resolution is accepted by the members of this convention, the delegates of the American Federation of Teachers to the 1971 Convention of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations be directed to submit this resolution to that Convention.