Boston City Council unanimously approved an ordinance concerning health insurance benefits for surviving spouses of the City’s firefighters on Wednesday afternoon, with approximately 25 individuals in attendance — including Bob Petitti, member of the Boston Firefighters union.
Councilor Michael Flaherty, the sponsor of the docket, petitioned for a law to restore the ability to purchase health insurance for remarried, surviving spouses of firefighters who passed away in the line of duty, perished as a result of injuries sustained or died from a disability, according to a letter he read to the audience.
Although the legislature restored pensions benefits in 2000 to surviving spouses upon remarriage, Flaherty wrote, this did not include the restoration of the health insurance benefit. Through passing the proposal, spouses of the deceased are enabled to have the ability of continuing health insurance through the City upon remarriage.
Through implementing this change, the cost to the City — on average — for health insurance for the surviving families and spouses, totals between approximately $6,500 and $6,600, Flaherty wrote.
Flaherty said during the meeting that the cost of the insurance will not pose a burden to the City.
“I expect there to be minimal financial impact for the city … because it would only apply to a handful of individuals,” Flaherty said.
Numerous provisions to the order were added to properly address the addition of spouses also being able to continue receiving health insurance — along with pension benefits — upon remarriage, Flaherty said.
“The appropriate insurance application must be filed with the City of Boston, that the City develop a method of payment of premiums in accordance with the rules and regulations,” Flaherty said. “[And] that the City of Boston contributes at least 50 percent of the premium to be paid by the surviving spouse for such group insurance.”
After the meeting, Flaherty told The Daily Free Press the amendment is essential because spouses of the deceased currently face the equivalent of a penalty.
“Firefighters who died in the line duty, their spouses [are] basically penalized,” Flaherty said. “They are not allowed to remarry because if they do, they lose the health benefit, so there’s basically a remarriage penalty. This is an opportunity for me to do the right thing.”
Currently in Boston, about five spouses and their children are affected by the issues surrounding spouses of deceased firefighters remarrying and the ability to receive health insurance from the city, Flaherty said. Through passing the proposed changes, the “remarriage penalty” is effectively eradicated.
“No one should have that situation,” Flaherty said. “Spouses can’t find a life partner, can’t start over, can’t remarry for fear that they will lose health benefit and the benefit for their children.”
With the ordinance passing unanimously among the councilors, Flaherty said he is hopeful it will be officially passed by the state legislature at a future date.
“[I] look forward to having it pass up the legislature, having the comfort of knowing in the event of if it happens again, surviving spouses should have no worries,” Flaherty said.
Pettiti said he is comforted by the fact that widow’s will soon be able to remarry without the worry of losing essential health benefits.
“We had a legislation to pass a bill which was going to help the … widows of firefighters that passed away from the injuries in the line of duty,” Petitti said after the meeting. “If the widow is lucky enough to find another person that she wants to spend the rest of their life with, it’s awful a big penalty for her to take.”
Michael Larocca, 54, of Downtown Boston, said he came to the meeting as part of his effort to attend every event mayoral candidate Tito Jackson attends.
“I’m Tito Jackson’s supporter with his campaign since he announced his [mayoral bid] back early this year,” Larocca said. “Whatever he does for standouts, I try to do them all. I try to do as much as I can. It’s difficult for me since I’m in a wheelchair.”
Ludi Wang contributed to the reporting of this article.
