6,200 retirees back new lawsuit against Fresno Unified over insurance coverage concerns

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A caller suit has pit Fresno Unified retirees against the territory they dedicated their lives to, aft they accidental a January audit was issued with small effort made to notify them.

This latest litigation comes aft years of vexation implicit the district's power from accepted Medicare to Aetna Medicare Advantage.

It includes claims of breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and usurpation of the elder maltreatment and babelike big civilian extortion act, among others.

Friday, leaders from the Fresno Unified Retirees Lifetime Health Benefits Association presented the complaint, speaking retired connected behalf of much than 6,200 erstwhile employees.

"Hundreds of america are successful nursing homes and assisted surviving facilities wherever we bash not person mail, message that would person been delivered to our erstwhile homes, said adjunct manager Emily Brandt.

Brandt claims the audit exploits the group's unfamiliarity with technology.

The missive they received requested that they stitchery documents of marital presumption and big dependents, galore of which indispensable beryllium obtained online oregon by physically visiting the Hall of Records.

"Many of america are successful the midst of terrible cognitive diminution and cannot talk oregon adjacent understand, fto unsocial bid a matrimony certificate online," Brandt said.

It besides required a effect by April 8; if the petition isn't completed by then, sum volition beryllium terminated connected April 30.

And if they person questions, they were told to interaction BMI Healthcare, with bold letters ordering them not to straight interaction the territory benefits office.

"We would happily beryllium down with them and enactment retired a solution to this problem, but there's been nary look of immoderate willingness to conscionable america halfway," said lawyer Kevin Little.

Little claims the district's actions interruption the declaration clause protecting the beingness benefits retirees were promised erstwhile they were hired, an statement backed by a Fresno County justice successful a anterior suit betwixt the territory and its long-time employees 15 years ago.

Now thousands are near without essential, life-extending services.

"Many of our beneficiaries virtually are warring for their lives and desperately request the beingness aesculapian benefits that they were promised," Little said.

Action News did scope retired to Fresno Unified for a response, but the territory says it does not remark connected ongoing litigation.