IL Supreme Court Says Healthcare Benefits for Retirees Protected Under the Diminishment Clause of the Constitution

THIS IS HUGE NEWS, and not good news for those in State Government trying to get a handle on the rising cost of pensions and benefits to workers and retirees.    The Illinois Supreme Court just issued a ruling that HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE is a benefit akin to Pension benefits, and therefore the healthcare coverage for beneficiaries cannot be diminished.

 Here is a line from the IL Supreme Court's ruling
"We conclude that the State’s provision of health insurance premium subsidies for retirees is a benefit of membership in a pension or retirement system within the meaning of article XIII, section 5, of the Illinois Constitution,"

Here is a link to the entire ruling by the Court in the case of Kanerva v Weems

http://www.state.il.us/court/Opinions/SupremeCourt/2014/115811.pdf