City of Lansing changing health care benefits for retired city workers

LANSING, Mich. — Friday, Lansing Mayor Any Schor announced major changes to the health care coverage for retired City of Lansing employees. The change was made with the intention of saving the city $8 million annually, though it has been met with mixed reactions.
The changes would effect the health care plans for more than 1,330 retired city workers, and would take effect beginning Jan. 1. Notably, during a time when America is still anticipating the challenges of dealing with COVID-19.
Although changing healthcare is never a popular move, officials are saying the cuts are part of dealing with an oncoming crisis of legacy costs. It is estimated that more than $730 million in unfunded pension payments and health care payments will need to be paid over the next decades.
In a press release the City of Lansing said that between $80 million and $100 million of those costs could