John Curry: Are active teachers really aware?

From John Curry, Sept. 12, 2006

I ran across this chart from an Ohio public school system's (Perkins) website. I just wonder how many of the active educators in the public schools listed on the chart really know what a pre-Medicare aged STRS retiree (with spouse) really pays for healthcare? Should our STRS pre-Medicare retiree with spouse rates be placed on their graph, I find that it WOULDN'T FIT! Their chart tops out at $200 - our $700 rate is way off the chart!!

Some of the schools listed on this chart charge their teachers less than 20 bucks for a monthly family plan premium - some are free!! We would have to quadruple the height of the chart to be able to graph our retiree and spousal rates from STRS, wouldn't we?

The point I am trying to get across is that many actives still haven't the slightest idea of what high healthcare insurance premiums are awaiting them should they retire before they reach the age of 65. Many of them find out the hard way - they retire first and then discover the bad news. We, at CORE, still have a ways to go to "educate the educators!"

Please click on the link below to see what it is like in one small northern part of Ohio. John, a Proud CORE member

http://www.perkins.k12.oh.us/Treasurer/Chart_Medical_Contribution.pdf