Why I Hate USPS

[aygart]

CNN: Senate passes sweeping bipartisan bill overhauling the US Postal Service.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/08/politics/senate-vote-postal-service-bill/index.html

[CountValentine]

CNN: Senate passes sweeping bipartisan bill overhauling the US Postal Service.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/08/politics/senate-vote-postal-service-bill/index.html

What in the bill will improve mail service?
They are forcing retired employees to sign up for Medicare. I am sure everyone here will be against that like any other mandate.
They are shifting accounting of no prefunding healthcare requirement. That should have been done years ago.
What to improve mail service?

[aygart]

What in the bill will improve mail service?
They are forcing retired employees to sign up for Medicare. I am sure everyone here will be against that like any other mandate.
They are shifting accounting of no prefunding healthcare requirement. That should have been done years ago.
What to improve mail service?

I was hoping to hear what it would do from you. Sounds like not much.

What does it even mean that they are forcing them to sign up? They have their own insurance mandate?

[zh cohen]

What in the bill will improve mail service?
What to improve mail service?

The claim is that by freeing up funding, it will allow them to spend it on places where it will make a difference (or at least avoid cuts to those areas).

[CountValentine]

I was hoping to hear what it would do from you. Sounds like not much.

What does it even mean that they are forcing them to sign up? They have their own insurance mandate?

If a retiree keeps their insurance and does not signup then USPS is their primary insurance. If they signup then Medicare is their primary and USPS saves a ton of money.

[aygart]

If a retiree keeps their insurance and does not signup then USPS is their primary insurance. If they signup then Medicare is their primary and USPS saves a ton of money.

So they can choose not to enroll and they just won't get the other coverage?

[CountValentine]

The claim is that by freeing up funding, it will allow them to spend it on places where it will make a difference (or at least avoid cuts to those areas).

That makes sense but what are they? IMHO the only affect will be accounting where it shows they are now losing less money. I would have liked to seen less delivery days at least for FCM.

[CountValentine]

So they can choose not to enroll and they just won't get the other coverage?

Yes. Even though you are paying a high premium to keep the USPS insurance, in almost all cases it is cheaper to have both.

[aygart]

Yes. Even though you are paying a high premium to keep the USPS insurance, in almost all cases it is cheaper to have both.

So what does this have to do with mandates?

[CountValentine]

So what does this have to do with mandates?

If you want USPS insurance you must get Medicare.
Like if you want to keep your job you must get a vaccine.
Requirement a better word?

[aygart]

If you want USPS insurance you must get Medicare.
Like if you want to keep your job you must get a vaccine.
Requirement a better word?

Oh I thought you meant insurance mandates. I am not against companies requiring their employees to vaccinate so I guess I am the wrong person to reply here.

[zh cohen]

If you want USPS insurance you must get Medicare.

What about those who have a different primary insurance ? (Like through a spouse's job.)

Would they be able to use the USPS plan as secondary?

[CountValentine]

What about those who have a different primary insurance ? (Like through a spouse's job.)

Would they be able to use the USPS plan as secondary?

Not sure. The reason for the change is to make USPS the secondary insurance.

[CountValentine]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/the-postal-service-reform-act-just-passed-here-s-what-that-means-for-your-mail/ar-AATQrMT?ocid=undefined

[zh cohen]

Not sure. The reason for the change is to make USPS the secondary insurance.

In other words they are reducing the benefit to postal workers, but hiding it by telling them that they can make up the difference by signing up for Medicare.

[yos9694]

What in the bill will improve mail service?
They are forcing retired employees to sign up for Medicare. I am sure everyone here will be against that like any other mandate.
They are shifting accounting of no prefunding healthcare requirement. That should have been done years ago.
What to improve mail service?

The way I see it is this is a bean counter's bill. Doesn't directly improve mail service, but gives USPS a chance to get right financially so they'll have a future.
1) Cancels tons of debt
2) Transfers huge liability (health coverage) off their books (to Medicare)

This could give them a fresh start but the opportunity will most likely be squandered since there are no real incentives to succeed

[CountValentine]

In other words they are reducing the benefit to postal workers, but hiding it by telling them that they can make up the difference by signing up for Medicare.

Not sure I would say they are reducing a benefit. If you want benefit A you need to also have program B.

When you retire you can keep your USPS insurance (tons of plans to choose). The rate is higher for retirees but same rate for all retirees. With or without Medicare the rate is the same. My beef is if I have Medicare and now USPS is secondary why isn't my rate cheaper? Medicare is around 2k/yr. I guess some are gambling they won't have 2k in out of pocket expenses for the year.

[CountValentine]

The way I see it is this is a bean counter's bill. Doesn't directly improve mail service, but gives USPS a chance to get right financially so they'll have a future.
1) Cancels tons of debt
2) Transfers huge liability (health coverage) off their books (to Medicare)

This could give them a fresh start but the opportunity will most likely be squandered since there are no real incentives to succeed

There health care liability going forward will be less. What made the big difference was they no longer have to prefund healthcare. That should have never been there in the first place.