Drastic health care changes are on the way for retired police officers and firefighters all over the state of Ohio, and a deadline is looming that they might not even know about.
The Police and Fire Pension Fund is eliminating its health insurance coverage for retired first responders. Instead, retirees who are not old enough to qualify for Medicare will be given a stipend to help pay for insurance on the private market. But first, they have to go through a complicated sign-up process and the deadline is midnight this Saturday.
“From what I am hearing, there are thousands of retirees who haven’t been contacted,” Columbus Fire Chief Kevin O’Connor said.