Insurance costs weighing on retirees

This is a rebuttal to Cathy McQuillan’s Fence Post letter. I did get the facts straight. I received the information from the governor’s office. After your letter I called again to verify my facts. They put me on to the pension board. Basically there are five different pension systems in Illinois — state employees, judges, General Assembly, teachers and universities.

You fall into the teachers pension system. I wasn’t referring to the teachers pension system. The state employees have to have at least 20 years to get the free health insurance when they retire. Yes, I was a little irritated when I found out we are in a state of fiscal meltdown and they are handing out free health insurance. I am under the federal pension system, and I pay almost exactly what you pay in health insurance. Since retiring I’ve watched my retirement be whittled down by the rise in health insurance costs as the government says there is no cost of living increase. If that’s the case why are my health insurance cost going up astronomically?

I keep on having less to live on because of it. If I had free health insurance I would not be complaining.

Larry Maurer

Mount Prospect