Yet the report spends most of its time collecting dust on county officials' shelves. Most know about it, a few have attempted to address it, but little has been done to resolve the $2.45 billion bill for health care benefits promised to county retirees.
"It's like promising your kid he can go to college, and then you don't put any money aside," County Auditor Teresa Sutherland said. "Then your kid grows up and there's no money for...
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county - 2010-03-10 16:05:30
....and yet a.a. county continues to hire retirees from other juridictions knowing they will be gone in 5 years with this crazy benefit. Change the rules already, isn't this a "no brainer"? And while you're at it- bring some accountability to the county's managers. Higher ups have no clue what goes on below them. constant screw ups are hidden from the top. Probationary employees who are found to be incompetant are constantly being kept as permanent employees. ANY manager that says this isn't true is either lieing or has his blinders on too tight. Fix it now, Fix it fast before it's too late. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE HIRING FREEZE? HAVE YOU CHECKED THEIR JOB OPENINGS LATELY? They are still hiring but threatening pay cuts and furloughs.....
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Bchevy Chevy - Stevensville, md - Karma: Neutral
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Ed - 2010-03-08 10:17:20
When medicare kicks in retired employees can get their supplement insurance through their County benefits
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Fay Hall - Severna Park, md - Karma: Excellent
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Time for a Renegotiation... - 2010-03-08 10:11:13
Sorry for anyone who set their future security up on this kind of un-sustainable expenditures, but it is time we find some leadership with the intestinal fortitude to set things right in a logical, cost effective manner. for whatever reasons they were agreed too, the retirement benefits of government and school employees over the last few decades needs to be renegotiated to move more in line with those of the private sector - for the sake of future solvency.
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Fred Davis - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Excellent
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WTF....... - 2010-03-08 09:29:15
i doubt anyone paying taxes in anne arundel county had any idea this healt care plan was going on..... did you ??
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chuck murray - edgewater, md - Karma: Neutral
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Retirement Benefits - 2010-03-08 08:25:46
Maybe the County should consider changing their policy for those who work only five years and still get the same medical benefit as those who have worked twenty years or more. Do the readers of the Gazette know that the retired county worker with twenty years or more of service pays MORE per month for their medical coverage than those who are still working for the County? Remember, just like so many others who retire, you now are living on a fixed income. How about those employee's that were medically retired due to on the job injuries? Do you feel that their benefits for medical insurance be taken away or that they have to pay a substantial amount more? Remember, if they had to retire early then their base pay is less so therefore there monthly pension check is reduced. So, those who medically retired has a lower fixed income and currently is still paying more per month for health insurance than those that are currently employed. And don't forget, many have families that they are still trying to support. Anne Arundel County always been known for a great place to live and work. So, before getting the residents in an uproar over this issue, lets gather as much information and then post it in the Gazette.
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James Paul - Pasadena, MD - Karma: Neutral
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retirement isn't a right - 2010-03-08 06:46:03
Tell those lazy bums to get back to work and to stop leaching off the taxpayers. Retirement is for zombies, walking corpses. Everyone who I know who 'retired' got sick and died within a few short years. Work will keep you healthy. The new retirement age should be 85 and even retirement then should be discouraged.
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ghostof mencken - Baltimore, MD - Karma: Terrible
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Shift the Burden? - 2010-03-07 21:28:03
Biff, you say we need to 'shift this burden to where it belongs,' but you don't say where that is -- where does this burden belong? Please advise.
Yes, we need genuine competition, by which I mean health-insurance providers should be allowed to compete across state lines. Yes, we need tort reform to help bring down malpractice-premium costs that we pay for. Yes, we need to eliminate fraudulence in claims. Not sure what the end of your message means, so would appreciate clarification, please.
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Tina Chite - Churchton, MD - Karma: Excellent
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Two questions - 2010-03-07 16:35:52
Medicare kicks in at 65. Does that mean the county only has to carry these retirees for the five years between 60 and 65?
The story also says the cost is expected to eventually reach nearly $100 million a year. When is eventually?
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Ed Lewis - Annapolis, md - Karma: Neutral
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Health Insurance Reform - 2010-03-07 14:26:42
This is yet another illustration of why the health insurance mess so urgently needs reform.
Local and state governments, and also private companies by the thousands, have unsustainable health insurance obligations. They are going to fail to honor them, to a horrific degree, no matter how earnestly we seek to wish it away.
Our federal government must emulate successful democracies around the world, step up to the plate, and reform health insurance to shift this burden to where it belongs.
We need genuine competition, abolition of wasteful and immoral administrative costs and executive ripoffs, and control of a system to render better public health outcome by cost-effective means.
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biff tradwell - edgewater, MD - Karma: Excellent
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