After receiving pushback from retirees, New York City's new Medicare contract for city retirees will be paused indefinitely, a state Supreme Court judge ruled Oct. 21.
The judge called the rollout "irrational, and thus arbitrary and capricious," ordering the city not to enforce its Oct. 31 deadline for retirees to opt out of the new plan and suspending further action for the time being, according to The City.
The delay is effective until more information on the transition is made public, according to The City. For example, much is unclear about which local physicians will accept the plan's coverage.
The ruling, which came as a response to a lawsuit from an organization representing the retirees, does not change the city awarding the Medicare contract to the Alliance, a collaboration between EmblemHealth and Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield.