Ill. Gov. signs bill requiring retired state workers to pay health premiums

Retired public employees will now have to chip in for the cost of their health insurance -- on a scale based on their income -- after Gov. Pat Quinn approved legislation Thursday.

Chicago Tribune: Retired State Workers Will Have To Pay For Health Insurance
Gov. Pat Quinn on Thursday approved legislation requiring thousands of retired state employees to chip in on the costs of health care insurance that many of them get for little or nothing (Long, 6/22).

Chicago Sun-Times: New Illinois Law Means State Retirees Have To Pay Health Insurance Premiums
Current and future state retirees will have to begin paying premiums for their state retiree health insurance under legislation Gov. Pat Quinn signed Thursday, a move the governor said was essential if the benefit for long-serving state workers was to continue. Starting July 1, state government retirees will pay the premiums based on their ability to pay. "Those who have faithfully served the state deserve access to quality health care, and insurance costs should be more balanced and based on actual retirement income," Quinn said. "We also have a duty to taxpayers to ensure these plans are cost-efficient and put Illinois on the path to fiscal stability" (McKinney, 6/21).