Election Results

The following new delegates were elected at the Annual Meeting on November 2nd: Margarita Asiain, Virginia (Jenny) Carboni, Madalyn Frank, Rod Olin, Kristina Smorto, and Ruben Soria. When you see them, congratulate them and thank them for doing their part to keep the Union strong. And please extend a special thanks to our continuing officers, board members and delegates.

Health Insurance

Once you are enrolled in one of the health insurance plans, you can change plans only during open enrollment. Exceptions are made for major life events, such as marriage, birth or adoption. Open enrollment is from November 21st to December 5th. If you are on the 80% (Oxford Hi) plan primarily because of prescription coverage, you should consider switching to the RN Base Plan. The Union successfully resisted management’s efforts to change the prescription coverage in the RN Base Plan and to eliminate the Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance.

In both health insurance plans, the cost of a single prescription remains the same as the 2005 rate:

As of 2006, the 80% plan includes a penalty for using a neighborhood pharmacy to fill a prescription more than 3 times. After the third time, the co-pay increases by 50%. In addition, the cost of a 3-month supply by mail order goes up in the 80% plan from twice the cost of single prescription co-pay to 2½ times the cost. The mail order cost remains the same in the RN base plan.

As always, there is no bi-weekly co-pay on the insurance premium for the RN base plan.

Union Participation Survey

Julie Sadler, a Ph.D. candidate at Cornell, is surveying the NYPNU membership as part of her dissertation research. At the annual meeting, she spoke eloquently of the need to receive these surveys so that she can finish her dissertation, leave Ithaca and get on with her life. Please help Julie leave Ithaca by returning your survey. As an extra bonus, you may win a dinner on the town. If you did not receive a survey, extra copies are available in the Union office.

Layoff Update

Due to persistent low census throughout Med/Surg, the Hospital has closed 3 Wollman. Those nurses have taken positions elsewhere in the Hospital. In addition, 4 nurses at MEETH and 1 in the LHH PACU have been placed in other positions. The Union worked closely with the affected employees and management to ensure that everyone’s contractual rights were protected.
In order to save RN positions, it would be helpful to know if any RNs are interested in the following:
1. Taking a personal leave of absence.
2. Reducing hours by going part-time, i.e., .92 (no 4th day), .8 or .6. (Anything below .6 forfeits family health benefits.)
3. Retiring within the next 3 or 4 months.
If you are interested in any of the above, please inform your manager.

BCLS/ACLS/PALS/NRP

The hospital reimburses staff nurses for fees and hours of attendance for all required recertification courses. Recertifications can be obtained through the LearnACLS Training Center at MEETH, which promises a stress-free environment. LHH/MEETH employees receive a discount rate on some courses. For more information, contact LearnACLS at (212) 421-4131 or visit their web site at www.LearnACLS.com. Copies of the course schedule are also available in the NYPNU office.