Headlines about "Health plans - retiree coverage"
Gathered from the web by the editors at BenefitsLink.com.
Automakers Not Requesting Additional Delays in Funding Payments to Union's Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Associations
Excerpt: "United Auto Workers president Ron Gettelfinger said Tuesday, October 7, that he hasn't been approached by the Detroit Three to allow additional delays in funding payments to the union's voluntary employee beneficiary associations. Gettelfinger said in Detroit that the UAW would do nothing to risk the integrity of the funds, promised by the union chief to last at least 80 years. The funds, which are to cover future UAW retiree health care costs, were established as a key part of the UAW's 2007 national contracts with General Motors, Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler." (Workforce Management; free registration required)
Medicare Retiree Drug Subsidy Faces Increased Scrutiny
Excerpt: "The CMS plans to perform financial audits on one-third of all of the 450 prescription drug plans (PDPs) and Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans each year over the next three years, with an eye toward identifying and stemming fraud, waste, and abuse . . . ." (Wolters Kluwer)
[Guidance Overview] Early Retirees Not Vested in Employer-Provided Health Benefits
Excerpt: "Simpson Paper Company closed its mill for economic reasons. Early retirees, who retired at ages over 55 and under 65, sued in Federal Court. They sought continued healthcare benefits that were made available through a collective bargaining agreement in force at time of their retirement. The collective bargaining agreement provided that the early retirees' healthcare insurance would continue until the earliest of eligibility for medicare, attainment of age 65 or death. During the period, the cost was to be paid on the same basis as active employees. Finally, Simpson reserved the right to alter, amend, delete, cancel or otherwise change the benefits at any time, subject to negotiation with the union." (Cypen & Cypen)
[Opinion] American Benefits Council Statement for House Education and Labor Committee Hearing Record on Safeguarding Retiree Health Benefits (PDF)
3 pages. Excerpt: "I am writing on behalf of the member companies of the American Benefits Council . . . to correct a statement made by a member of the Committee concerning the Council's position on health care reform and to share our views with you on the Emergency Retiree Health Benefits Protection Act of 2007 (H.R. 1322). I respectfully request that this letter be included as part of the Committee's record for the September 25, 2008 hearing on H.R. 1322." (American Benefits Council)
ERIC Testifies in Opposition to Tierney Retiree Health Legislation
Excerpt: "Scott Macey, Senior Vice President and Director of Government Affairs of Aon Consulting, testified September 25 on behalf of ERIC at a hearing before the House Education and Labor Committee on options to safeguard retiree health benefits. Macey . . . cautioned that major employers do not support legislation that would prevent employers from modifying benefits in the face of escalating costs or retroactively vest employees in retiree health benefits that had been put in place many years ago." (The ERISA Industry Committee)
House Panel Mulls Bill to Bar Retiree Health Cuts
Excerpt: "Senior and employer groups squared off at a House committee hearing over a bill to bar employers from reducing or eliminating retiree health benefits for current retirees. We want 'companies to live up to the promises they made,' testified C. William Jones of ProtectSeniors.Org, which is pressing for the bill's enactment." (Mercer LLC)
Full Committee Hearing: 'Safeguarding Retiree Health Benefits,' September 25, 2008
Excerpt: "This hearing explored options to safeguard promised retiree health benefits. With insurance premiums skyrocketing and companies looking to cut expenses, an increasing number of companies have been rolling back or eliminating promised retiree health benefits." (U.S. House of Representatives Education and Labor Committee)
[Guidance Overview] Early Retirees Non-Vested in Health Benefits Lack ERISA Standing
Excerpt: "The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has determined that early retirees do not have vested rights to retirement health benefits, so they lack standing to sue under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) for continuation of those benefits." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)
Public Employee Retiree Health Plans: A National Assessment of the States (PDF)
32 pages. Excerpt: "In this report we examine each state's retiree health plan and attempt to organize the plans by their key characteristics. These characteristics include age and service requirements for coverage and the cost to the retiree and the state per retiree. We begin by providing an overview of the primary characteristics of the plans and then present a brief summary of each state's plan." (Center for State and Local Government Excellence)
[Guidance Overview] 9th Circuit Says No Vested Right to Health Benefits = No Standing = No Subject Matter Jurisdiction
Excerpt: "The 9th Circuit has held that the employer's ability to modify the vesting of early retiree health benefits deprived the retirees of standing, and thus deprived the District Court of subject matter jurisdiction over their claim of wrongful termination of those benefits." (Alaska Employment Law)
[Guidance Overview] Ruling on Trust Contributions Illustrates Use of Unused Sick and Vacation Leave to Fund Retiree Health Benefits
Excerpt: "EBIA Comment: In its summary of the facts, the IRS focused on the right of bargaining unit members to approve participation in the arrangement. The IRS apparently concluded that the members' ability to accept or reject the CBA had no impact on the tax consequences of the arrangement. While the ruling explicitly addressed only the excludability of mandatory salary reduction contributions, there is no apparent reason why the mandatory contributions of unused sick or vacation leave should not also be excludable." (Employee Benefits Institute of America)
After GASB 45: Solving the Unfunded Liability Problem in Retiree Health Care
Excerpt: "After analyzing new survey data from the 50 states and a large sample of local governments, Dr. Richard Kearney and Dr. Robert Clark conclude that an incremental approach to managing retiree health care costs has certain advantages. They stress the importance of examining the complex legal, accounting, and tax questions that are involved with some alternatives. This issue brief examines the major policy alternatives state and local governments are exploring: cost containment, cost sharing, efficiencies, future cost shedding, prefunding mechanisms, selling assets, and wellness and preventive illness programs." (Center for State and Local Government Excellence)
Federal Judge Blocks Retiree Health Care Charges at Catepillar
Excerpt: "A federal judge in Nasvhille has blocked efforts by Catepillar to charge Catepillar Logistics Services (CLS) retirees for their health care. According to a news release by lawyers for the workers, U.S. District Judge Aleta A. Trauger issued a preliminary injunction forcing Caterpillar to provide the CLS retirees with the same health coverage package as they do for other employees retired before January 1, 1992." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)
Benefits Change at Deere Spurs Retirees Lawsuit
Excerpt: "Deere & Co. retirees have filed a lawsuit against the farm-equipment maker to force it to restore their previous health insurance coverage. The lawsuit -- filed in U.S. District Court in Davenport, Iowa -- accuses Deere of reneging on a promise that some 5,000 salaried workers who retired after 1993 would be eligible for the same coverage in retirement that they had while they worked for the Moline, Illinois-based company." (Workforce Management; free registration required)
[Guidance Overview] Medicare Secondary Payer Mandatory Reporting Requirements (PDF)
4 pages. Excerpt: "On August 1, 2008, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published a Supporting Statement outlining the Medicare mandatory reporting data elements under the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 (Act). Effective January 1, 2009, these data elements must be reported to CMS on a quarterly basis. The penalty for failing to report the required data elements is $1,000 per day per person for which the data should have been submitted." (Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP)
[Guidance Overview] New Standards Cast Light on Governments' Post-Employment Liabilities
Excerpt: "Two GASB statements are sending ripples through American governmental finance. The statements establish clear, stringent standards for measuring and disclosing non-pension post-employment benefits provided -- employee benefits that are largely related to health care. Statement no. 45, Accounting and Financial Reporting by Employers for Postemployment Benefits Other Than Pensions, and its companion Statement no. 43, Financial Reporting for Postemployment Benefit Plans Other Than Pension Plans, demand budgetary transparency of state and local governments." (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants)
NY Gov. Paterson Continues to Stress Fiscal Discipline Amid Recession
Excerpt: "[He vetoed] legislation that would have prevented municipalities from lowering health care spending on retired public employees." (The New York Times; free registration required)
Addressing the Challenge of Funding Retiree Medical Benefits
Excerpt: "Although many Fortune 1000 companies continue to provide retiree medical coverage for their employees, costs are rising along with the challenges of determining the best way to fund these significant liabilities. Here is a summary of five primary funding approaches . . . ." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)
[Guidance Overview] Welfare Plan Violated ERISA § 204(g); Amendment Adopted with Intent To Penalize the Exercise of Accrued Rights under a Pension Plan (PDF)
At page 3 of 5. Excerpt: "After several unsuccessful attempts to amend the merged pension plan to limit lump sum payments, the trustees amended the welfare plan to preclude payment of retiree welfare benefits for participants who elected a lump sum payment from the pension plan." (Proskauer Rose)
[Opinion] Health Care Cost Worries Will Keep Workers on the Job
Excerpt: "Regardless of how the numbers are calculated -- and there are a multitude of ways to calculate those numbers -- the cost of health insurance is almost sure to delay retirement for many workers. Very few employees will have the means to easily pay for coverage when employer-provided health insurance concludes." (Dallas Salisbury via Human Resource Executive Online)
Federal Judge Approves VEBA Established Under Contract Between UAW and Ford
Excerpt: "U.S. District Judge Robert Cleland in Detroit on Friday approved a voluntary employees' beneficiary association plan established under a contract between the United Auto Workers and Ford Motor, Reuters reports. The VEBA, scheduled to begin in 2010, will assume responsibility for health benefits for about 200,000 Ford retirees represented by the union and their dependents, company officials said." (Kaiser Family Foundation)
GM Offers More Buyouts - Extends Deal to 9,000 Salaried Workers
Excerpt: "About 9,000 workers have been offered the deal, according to a source familiar with the plan. If they all accepted, it would trim about 28 percent of GM's salaried work force and shave about 20 percent of its white-collar costs. The voluntary offers, which GM started making in recent weeks, come a month after GM said it wanted to trim its salaried work force expenses by more than 20 percent in the U.S. and Canada. That includes ending its salaried retirement health coverage for employees over 65 starting Jan. 1 and eliminating salaried raises through the end of 2009." (AP via The Detroit News)
[Guidance Overview] Solving Small Employers' GASB 45 Puzzle
Excerpt: "GASB 45 has already placed requirements on large government entities. Now smaller public employers face their own deadlines. GASB 45 poses a particular challenge to these entities because of the cost of valuing the liability and the potential size of the liability relative to their overall budget. This article outlines a sensible approach for these smaller public employers." (Milliman)
Idaho Public Employee Retiree Health Benefits - Changes To Come with GASB 45
Excerpt: "For most retirees the financial changes may not be so dramatic, but it could be for those with expensive medications. For everyone, the limitations and changes in their plan may be disruptive, because they'll be going from a premium state plan to Medicare. The legislation is coming up this session. If it passes, as is, it will take effect January 2010." (KIDK.com)
Boeing Agrees to Keep Pension
Excerpt: "The Boeing Co.'s second contract proposal to the Machinists union does not include its request to close its pension plan to new employees. According to the Everett (Washington) Herald, the company said on Tuesday that it had eliminated three out of four of the issues the Machinists said they would strike over: pension for new employees, retaining Wichita in the bargaining unit, and outsourcing. The company is still attempting to eliminate early retiree medical benefits for Machinists hired after January 1, 2010." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)
[Guidance Overview] CMS Taking Steps to Implement New Medicare Secondary Payer Reporting Requirements
Excerpt: "The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has set up a Web site to facilitate implementation of new mandatory reporting requirements relating to the Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) rules for group health plans. The CMS Web site can be accessed at www.cms.hhs.gov/MandatoryInsRep. The new reporting requirements will be implemented on January 1, 2009, and the CMS's Web site will be a 'one-stop shop' for all relevant implementation and compliance materials." (Deloitte)
A Tax Revolt Is Quietly Brewing in Some States
Excerpt: "These and other battles come at a time when many states are struggling to cope with tough economic times." (Wall Street Journal via Baltimore Sun)
[Guidance Overview] CMS Publishes Summary of Proposed Mandatory Insurer Reporting Requirements
Excerpt: "The MMSEA . . . created new Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) data–reporting requirements. Starting January 1, 2009, the new MSP data–reporting requirements will require insurers, TPAs and a plan administrator or fiduciary of a self–insured/self–administered group health plan to: [i] Collect from the plan sponsor and plan participants information to identify situations where the group health plan is primary to Medicare, and [ii] Submit such information to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in a form and manner specified by HHS." (Sibson)
Pension Timebomb Ticks in Europe as Population Ages
Excerpt: "The European Union's population is set to reach 506 million by 2060, when there will be only two people of working age for every person aged 65 or more, the EU statistical office said on Tuesday." (Reuters via Forbes.com)
Governments Mostly Undecided on OPEB Funding Strategy
Excerpt: "Strategies to deal with new standards imposed by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) have yet to be widely decided by governments, despite a compliance deadline of the end of 2009. A study conducted by the nonprofit Cobalt Community Research found 74% of local governments that provide retiree health care are aware of the GASB 45 requirements, and 47% report that they have already calculated their retiree health care liability or the calculation is in process. GASB 45 requires states to identify the costs for other post employment benefits (OPEB) in their FY 2008 financial reports." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)
Court OKs Trust to Handle Goodyear Retiree Health Care Benefits, Company Says
Excerpt: "Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. has announced that the voluntary employees' beneficiary association trust that's intended to take responsibility for much of the company's retiree health care benefits has been approved by U.S. District Court Judge John R. Adams. Under the terms of a settlement, Goodyear will make a $1 billion cash contribution to the trust, which will provide health care benefits to the company's current and future retirees who are members of the United Steelworkers union." (Workforce Management; free registration required)
[Opinion] Stronger 'Other Post-Employment Benefits' Laws Needed
Excerpt: "What haven't been mentioned anywhere are the structural deficiencies of most states' laws -- or the total absence of laws -- under which public employers must operate their OPEB plans. In most states, the only statutes that govern long-term benefits plans and investment portfolios were written years ago for pension funds only, before anybody even thought about OPEB as a separate and similar category." (Governing.com)
Rochester, New York-Area Retirees Suffer from Loss of Benefits
Excerpt: "[An increasingly large number of the nation's retirees] find themselves without the post-retirement health-care benefits that their employers had previously promised. Kodak, which has provided such benefits since 1954, is eliminating dental coverage and its life insurance plan, phasing out dependent coverage and shifting future health care cost increases to retirees." (Rochester Democrat & Chronicle)
HSA Savings Insufficient to Fund Retiree Health
Excerpt: "According to the [Employee Benefit Research Institute] analysis, one of the difficulties in using an HSA to save money for premiums and out-of-pocket expenses during retirement is that individuals also can (and might need to) use the money in the account to pay for health care services during their working years or to pay COBRA premiums and insurance premiums during periods of unemployment." (Wolters Kluwer)
[Opinion] Maximum Coverage As Defined by Anthem Blue Cross
Excerpt: "Letter From: Anthem Blue Cross, Oxnard, California . . . Enclosed you will find a Part D Coordination of Benefits Survey. By completing the survey, it will help assure that you receive the maximum coverage benefits from your drug plan. . . . What's this? Why would a generous offer from a health insurer to assist an insured in receiving maximum coverage benefits be included in a health policy forum? The reason is that the apparent intent of this request is very different from its true purpose, and that difference exemplifies one of the most fundamental flaws in our current health care financing system." (Physicians for a National Health Program)
Health Plan Advisors' Role Is Expanding
Excerpt: "General Motors' decision last month to eliminate retiree health benefits highlights the growing role that outside advisors will play as employers divest themselves of retiree health care obligations. Stepping into the employer's role as health care advisors are companies like Extend Health, which GM hired last month to help retirees purchase health coverage on their own." (Workforce Management; free registration required)
[Guidance Overview] New Medicare Secondary Payer Reporting Requirements
Excerpt: "The Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 (the 'Act') will require group health plan insurers, third‑party administrators, and some plan administrators and fiduciaries to comply with new Medicare Secondary Payer ('MSP') reporting requirements effective January 1, 2009." (Dorsey & Whitney LLP)
Health-Care Costs May Overwhelm Retirees's Retirement Finances
Excerpt: "The rising cost of health care is making it harder for Americans to put enough away for retirement, an academic report indicates. A study released . . . by Boston College's Center for Retirement Research found that when the costs of health care are considered, 28 percent of all workers incorrectly think they will have enough money for retirement. According to the center's National Retirement Risk Index, these people are actually 'at risk' and don't perceive the financial problems that lie ahead." (The Columbus Dispatch)
Raytheon Is Ordered to Restore Health Benefits to Early Retirees
Excerpt: "In a decision that a union group says may set an important legal precedent, a federal judge has ruled that Raytheon Missile Systems must restore health-care benefits to its employees who took early retirement.The ruling, in U.S. District Court for Arizona, was called on Thursday a 'major victory for Raytheon retirees' by the International Association of Machinists Local 933, the AFL-CIO-affiliated union that represents Raytheon's hourly employees." (Arizona Daily Star)
Investment Trusts for Other Post-Employment Benefits (PDF)
3 pages. Excerpt: "GASB 45 forces public employers to calculate a liability for their other post-employment benefits (OPEB). The cost of this liability can be staggering. What's a public employer to do? A GASB trust offers one option for prefunding these benefits." (Milliman)
Small Number of Companies Finding New Value in Offering Retiree Health Care Benefits
Excerpt: "Employers who want to extend retiree health care fall into two camps. One believes that continuing to offer such a benefit is key in giving them an edge in recruiting. The other camp is made up of organizations that want to continue to offer retiree coverage to encourage older workers to retire, rather than continue working just to have health benefits." (Workforce Management; free registration required)
A Public Employer's Ability to Modify Retiree Benefits
Excerpt: "Three trends pushing public-sector employers to reduce retirement costs are: (1) new accounting rules requiring employers to show on their books how much promises to retirees will cost; (2) the spiraling cost of providing medical benefits to retirees; and (3) the increasing longevity of retirees." (Jones Day)
No Help Coming for Massachusetts City's Retiree Medicare Cost
Excerpt: "It looks like Worcester's municipal retirees will not be getting help from the city anytime soon when it comes to paying their Part B Medicare costs. City Manager Michael V. O'Brien said there is no 'fiscally feasible means' for the city to pick up the tab for any portion of the retirees' Part B Medicare costs without a reduction in municipal services or raising property taxes." (Worcester Telegram & Gazette Corp.)
Verizon Contract Includes Health Care, Pension Reform
Excerpt: "A new tentative three-year union contract with Verizon will continue providing health care for both active and retired workers and increase wages and pensions for 65,000 workers." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)
Government Workers Have Greater Access to Benefits, DOL Data Show
Excerpt: "According to the [Bureau of Labor Statistics] release, access to and participation in retirement and medical care benefits were greater in government employment than in private industry." (PLANSPONSOR.com)
Report Says Jacksonville FL Police and Fire Pensions Are Too Expensive
Excerpt: "Jacksonville's pension plans need drastic improvements and could better serve city taxpayers by being replaced by other types of retirement benefits, including 'defined contribution' programs similar to 401(k) plans, a nonprofit organization's analysis concludes." (Florida Times-Union)
[Guidance Overview] Medicare Law Will Impact Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PDF)
Excerpt: "On July 15, Congress overrode President Bush's veto of Medicare legislation that blocked cuts in physician payments and provided enhanced benefits to Medicare beneficiaries. Most significant for employers are provisions that reduce funding for Medicare Advantage plans and that change how private fee-for-service plans must be structured." (Buck Consultants)
[Guidance Overview] Medicare Part D Creditable Coverage Notices Are Updated
Excerpt: "[The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' three Model Notices are revised primarily to reflect formatting and organization changes. Substantive changes appear minor but include: Re-Enrollment: Definitive disclosure of whether the individual can re-enroll in the plan after dropping coverage. Medicare Special Enrollment Period: Clarification that the special enrollment period for enrollment in Medicare Part D is 2 months (rather than 60 days) after loss of Creditable Coverage." (Deloitte via BenefitsLink.com)
Medicare Reform Law May Impact Retiree Medical Plans (PDF)
1 page. Excerpt: "The recently passed Medicare Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (the 'Act') includes a number of reforms to Medicare which may impact employer sponsored retiree medical plans. Specifically, the Act imposes additional requirements on Medicare Private Fee for Service ('PFFS') plans." (Haynes and Boone, LLP)
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Faces $13.3b Healthcare Bill for Retirees
Excerpt: "The state must come up with about $200 million a year for the next 20 years to pay off an estimated $13.3 billion in looming healthcare costs for its retirees, according to a stark new report . . . ." (Boston Globe)
Saving for Health Care Expenses in Retirement: The Use of Health Savings Accounts (PDF)
Pages 9-13 of 16 pages. Excerpt: "This analysis revisits the savings needed to cover health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket expenses for health care services in retirement and evaluates the use of health savings accounts (HSAs) to save for those expenses. Proponents of HSAs often tout them as a vehicle for funding future retiree health care costs. But, while HSAs represent an important option for consumers seeking more control over their health care spending, statutory contribution limits make it unlikely that these accounts will play more than a minor part in savings for health care costs in retirement." (Employee Benefit Research Institute)
[Opinion] Americans Need Federal Help with Retirement
Excerpt: "As more and more retirees are depleting their savings to pay for their health care needs, the federal government is not doing enough to fix this growing problem. On June 16th Congressman John McHugh (NY-23) and I introduced the Retiree Health Account Act (H.R. 6288) that would provide Americans with the tax incentives needed to set aside funds for retiree health costs." (Rep. John 'Randy' Kuhl via The Courier (NY))
Whirlpool Sues Union to Modify Retiree Medical Benefits
Excerpt: "Whirlpool Corporation has filed a lawsuit in federal district court seeking judgment that its modification of retiree medical benefits will not violate collective bargaining agreements with unions or the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)
Financing Retiree Health Care: Assessing GASB 45 Estimates of Liabilities (PDF)
9 pages. Excerpt: "If a government uses pay-as-you-go financing for its retiree medical plan, the actuarial accrued liabilities (AAL) are equal to the unfunded actuarially accrued liabilities (UAAL). Using these data, the actuary also determines the annual required contribution (ARC), which is equal to current expenditures plus the additional contribution needed to completely fund the UAAL over a 30-year period. This Issue Brief discusses these assumptions and their importance in determining financial challenges facing state and local governments." (Center for State and Local Government Excellence)
[Guidance Overview] Medicare Reform Bill Passes Over President Bush's Veto
Excerpt: "The Medicare reform law will creates issues for plan sponsors that provide retiree health coverage. If a plan sponsor currently offers Medicare Advantage Private-Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans, it may want to look into a switch or migration in the next couple of years into other Medicare Advantage (MA) plan types or consider offering coverage that supplements traditional Medicare." (The Segal Group, Inc.)
Goodyear Health Plan Still in Court: $1 Billion-Plus Trust Would Cover Thousands of Steelworker Retirees
Excerpt: "The future of an independent health-care trust proposed for tens of thousands of United Steelworkers who retired from Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. remains in a federal courtroom. A hearing is to resume at 9 a.m. today before U.S. District Judge John R. Adams, whose task is to decide whether to approve a $1 billion-plus Voluntary Employees Beneficiary Association, or VEBA. The Steelworkers and Goodyear agreed to create the trust for retiree medical benefits as part of a settlement to end the union's 85-day strike in 2006." (The Akron Beacon Journal via NewsEdge via Human Resource Executive Online)
[Guidance Overview] GASB 45 Standard Creates Accounting Quandary for Health Benefits in Retirement (PDF)
6 pages. Excerpt: "Differing opinions on discount rate selection under a new government accounting standard could lead local governments to unintentionally mislead creditors about their financial obligations for retiree health benefits." (American Academy of Actuaries)
Post-Retirement Health Benefits Cut for Future St. Petersburg, FL, Public Sector Employees
Excerpt: "St. Petersburg is cutting benefits for the next generation of police officers, firefighters and paramedics. In labor negotiations, it's called a 'giveback' -- and a lot of public sector workers will be giving back benefits in the years ahead.' (Fox Television Stations, Inc.)
General Motors Working with Firm to Help Retirees Transition to Medicare Coverage
Excerpt: "General Motors will contract with benefits consultant firm Extend Health to provide guidance to retirees in choosing appropriate Medicare plans to replace benefits previously offered by GM, the Detroit Free Press reports." (Kaiser Family Foundation)
The Crisis in State and Local Government Retiree Health Benefit Plans: Myths and Realities (PDF)
12 pages. Excerpt: "This Issue Brief explores some of the most importantperceptions associated with retiree health plans and the new GASB accounting standards and assesses whether these beliefs are myths or realities." (Center for State and Local Government Excellence)
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