Labor group audit of employee health care plans on-going despite judge's ... - New York Daily News

Mariela Lombard

Deputy Mayor Cas Holloway said the city doesn't understand why the court or the unions would want someone not entitled to a health care plan to take advantage of the program.

A coalition of municipal labor groups sued the city to stop a three-month-old audit of employee health care plans, part of an ambitious effort to weed out ineligible recipients, saying the city should have negotiated the terms with them first.

A Manhattan judge last week issued a temporary restraining order stopping the review while the two sides work it out. The city appealed that TRO, and are moving forward with the audit.

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“We’re not against the survey, we want some rules,” said Harry Nespoli, chairman of the Municipal Labor Committee.

The unions were particularly concerned that their members would have to hand over personal details to the city.

It also wanted the city to guarantee amnesty for people caught putting ineligible family members — like ex-spouses and dependents over 27 years old — on their benefits.

Some 25 percent of the city’s workforce already responded to the audit, according to the mayor’s office.

“We don’t understand why the court or unions would want the city’s taxpayers to pay for the health coverage of people not entitled to participate in the city’s program,” said Deputy Mayor Cas Holloway.