FOP 7 CHICAGO WEB UPDATE - MIKE SHIELDS, PRESIDENT

Fraternal Order of Police Chicago Lodge #7    Current Update June 4, 2013

Retiree Healthcare - Update  Retiree Health Care is at the forefront of the FOP agenda. The recent passage of Senate Bill 1584 by both houses has been met with criticism from the uninformed. The Illinois Review inaccurately stated that this is a bill to force City of Chicago retirees into Obamacare. This is a pension healthcare subsidy bill. The facts of the situation are as follows: The City of Chicago's retiree health care subsidy is currently supported in part from a statutorily permitted payment from the police pension fund. The fund pays to the City on behalf of each annuitant/retiree $95.00 per month if the annuitant is not eligible to receive Medicare benefits and $65.00 per month if the annuitant is eligible to receive Medicare benefits. The current statute is set to expire on June 30, 2013. Without this pension subsidy continuing, annuitants would be forced to pay an additional $95 or $65 monthly payment for healthcare. This legislation authorizes the pension board trustees to continue the annuitant's healthcare subsidy from the pension fund. Senate Bill 1584 allows the pension fund to continue making supplemental payments on behalf of the annuitants for health care. Absent the passage of the Senate Bill 1584, the City of Chicago would immediately attempt to increase retirees' health care premiums. This is not acceptable to the FOP. As an organization, the Fraternal Order of Police will continue to ensure that health care is provided by the City of Chicago for each and every retiree. There will be many future battles in the retiree healthcare arena. The FOP is prepared to fight.