Retirees Make their Case on Health Care

County Hears and Responds

Photo above: Members of SEIU 521's Retired Members Chapter pose with Kern Courts Executive Terry McNally after making their case to the Board of Supervisors.
Dec. 1 - When a squabble between Kern County and the Kern County Superior Court forced some retirees to change their health care plans – costing them hundreds of dollars more a month and making them change their doctors – the retirees didn't take it laying down.

Instead, they came together as members of SEIU 521 and took their case to the Kern County Board of Supervisors.

Five retirees came to the podium at public comment time during the Supervisors' Dec. 1 meeting. At the end, the Supervisors got the message and took the first steps toward reversing their decision.

"I am not asking for anything more than the right to stay on the plan that I have been paying into for 41 years," said Nadine Limi, who worked for the county for 33 years before the court was broken away from the county.

Photo on the left: Nadine Limi shows the Kern County Supervisors the proclomation they gave her when she retired. On Dec. 1, she asked them to give her health care plan back.
The county supervisors told county staff that they wanted paperwork prepared so that they can reverse their Oct. 13 decision, and keep the retirees on the county plan.

"I think these folks here contributed to the county," said Supervisor Michael Rubio. "These folks shouldn't fall victim because of our faults."

"I apologize that you've been made to feel less valuable than you are," Supervisor Mike Maggard told the retirees.

Also at the meeting was court executive Terry McNally, who said the court is willing to work with the county to keep the retirees on their health plan.