Chicago retirees battle big health care cuts

Faced with huge increases in their 2015 health insurance costs, City of Chicago retirees are calling their aldermen to urge them to take action.

In 2013, the City of Chicago announced a plan to phase out subsidized health care for City retirees. AFSCME organized to defeat this plan in the City Council, but Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s allies succeeded in passing it over AFSCME’s objections.

The first round of cuts went into effect in 2014, increasing the amount retirees had to pay. Now the city has announced further health care cost increases for 2015, imposing even greater hardship on retirees.

Retirees not eligible for Medicare are especially hard hit. Their premiums will more than double from the 2013 level, to an annual cost of over $7,500 for an individual with no dependents. Every retiree will also have to continue to pay co-pays, deductibles and prescription drug costs.

The new 2015 retiree health care cost increases are included in Mayor Emanuel’s 2015 budget proposal which is before the City Council right now.

AFSCME has been meeting with concerned aldermen to press for an amendment to the budget that would lessen the financial hardship on retirees by preventing such big increases from going into effect.

City of Chicago Retirees should

call their aldermen today and tell them:

Retirees can’t afford such big increases in our health costs!

Support a budget amendment to protect retiree health benefits.

To find out who your alderman is call 311.

Time is short – the budget will be voted on soon. Your involvement is key – make sure your alderman hears from you about the hardship these health insurance increases would mean for you. Then reach out to all other City of Chicago retirees you know and to friends and family. Urge them to call, too.