Mich. Senate: Lawmakers Must Work Longer for Health Benefits at 55

MIchigan Lawmakers no longer would get full health care coverage in retirement for just six years of work under legislation recently approved in the state Senate.

After serving six years, current legislators get 90 percent of their health care paid for during retirement once they turn 55, which turns into supplemental coverage when they become eligible for Medicare at 65.

Under bills approved 36-0 by the Republican-controlled Senate, new lawmakers elected after this year would get a percentage of their health care paid for based on the number of years worked. Future legislators would have to serve 14 years to get the same level of coverage at 55 that lawmakers now get.

“This puts the Legislature on par with other state employees,” said Sen. Wayne Kuipers, R-Holland.

But critics blasted the Senate bills as a “sham and charade” at a time people are losing their jobs, homes and employment benefits.

“This is cowardice, not leadership and it shames the institution of the Senate,” said Dan Farough, executive director of Progress Michigan, a liberal-leaning group that has urged the Legislature to end legislative retirement health benefits altogether.

The bills also would affect the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general and judges.

The Democratic-led House has passed legislation that would end retirement health care coverage for future legislators.

Progress Michigan has noted that representatives and senators aren’t doing anything to limit their own health care _ just that of their successors. But there are some concerns about the constitutionality of restricting current lawmakers’ benefits. Some lawmakers also say they should get the perk because other public-sector employees get health care in retirement.

The Senate also passed a resolution 32-4 calling for cutting lawmakers’ pay by 5 percent and limiting future pay hikes to the inflation rate.

That proposal would require action by the State Officers Compensation Committee to take effect. The committee isn’t scheduled to meet until 2009, however, so the earliest lawmakers could see salary cuts is 2011.

Lawmakers earn $79,650 a year, and legislative leaders make more.

Democratic Sen. Ray Basham of Taylor, Liz Brater of Ann Arbor, Deborah Cherry of Burton and Martha Scott of Highland Park voted against calling for a legislative pay cut.

The bills changing or eliminating lawmakers’ health care coverage in retirement are Senate Bills 868-69 and House Bills 4558 and 4580. The resolution calling on pay to be cut is Senate Concurrent Resolution 22.

For more information go to Michigan Legislature: http://www.legislature.mi.gov

Topics Legislation Michigan Politics