News & Calendar
Seven Quick Fixes to Health Care
To hear the rhetoric on both sides, you'd think the health-care overhaul in the Senate would change the U.S. system overnight.
In reality, most of the changes -- such as the new health insurance exchanges and insurance mandates for individuals -- would not take effect until 2014 (or 2013 in the House version).
Still, a few provisions are set to begin next year, if the legislation passes.
Some of the most significant changes would extend existing programs and rules in order to immediately reduce the number of uninsured Americans. Others would end unpopular practices in the private insurance industry.
Protect Yourself, Your Family and Your Community- Link to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for inportant information regarding H1N1 Virus. Click on each link below for specific details.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners* are also effective.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
- If you are sick with a flu-like illness, stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of fever-reducing medicine.) Keep away from others as much as possible. This is to keep from making others sick.
- If you are sick and sharing a common space with other household members in your home, wear a facemask, if available and tolerable, to help prevent spreading the virus to others. For more information, see the Interim Recommendations for Facemask and Respirator Use.Learn more about how to take care of someone who is ill in "Taking Care of a Sick Person in Your Home" Follow public health advice regarding20school closures, avoiding crowds, and other social distancing measures.
- If you don't have one yet, consider developing a family emergency plan as a precaution. This should include storing a supply of extra food, medicines, and other essential supplies. Further information can be found in the "Flu Planning Checklist"Stay informed. Health officials will provide additional information as it becomes available. Visit the CDC H1N1 Flu website.
PLEASE NOTE:
ALBANY OFFICE HAS A NEW LOCATION!!
New address:
8 Airport Park Blvd., Albany Airport Park, Latham, NY 12110.
518-482-3509 Fax: 518-482-0970
IMPORTANT DATES:
Executive Committee Meeting:
March 16, 2010 at the Radisson Hotel in Utica, N.Y.
State Legislation Meeting:
March 14-15, 2010 at the Radisson Hotel in Utica, N.Y.
COST- OF- LIVING ADJUSTMENT
The cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for September 2009 through August 2010 benefit payments will be 1.0%. As result, beginning with this September's payment, an eligible retired member with an annual benefit of $18,000 or more will receive a monthly increase of $15.
This latest COLA will bring the cumulative maximum monthly increase since COLA legislation was enacted in 2001 to $192.
New York's permanent, automatic COLA is designed to help offset inflation's adverse effects on the fixed retirement benefits of the state's public retirees. By law, the COLA is calculated by taking 50% of the March-to-March Consumer Price Index increase (rounded up to the next higher one-tenth of 1%) and multiplying it by the first $18,000 of the retirement benefit. The annual increase is a minimum of 1% to a maximum of 3%. As a result, even though the CPI declined 0.38% between March 2008 and March 2009, those receiving a NYSTRS retirement benefit payment will receive a 1% COLA increase.
Thinking about taking a vacation? Click on "Member Services", enter your member number, to research the array of discounted travel opportunities offered to NYS RTA members by Collette Vacations, Sugar Tours, and AAT Travel!
