California teachers’ retirement security is threatened by rising health care costs and declining levels of employer-paid health care coverage, according to a recent survey conducted by the California State Teachers’ Retirement System.

Key findings of the 2006 survey include:

• 86 percent of the 1,114 school districts surveyed do not pay for health care coverage for CalSTRS retirees after age 65, an increase from 78 percent in the 2003 survey
• This 86 percent of school districts represent 62 percent of the state’s retired public school educators
• 19 percent of the survey respondents provide no subsidies for health care coverage for any retired educator
• School districts reported one way they plan to reduce future employer costs is to impose higher co-payments on their employees

For More Information

• CalSTRS CEO Jack Ehnes' presentation to the Public Employee
  Post-Employment Benefits Commission, May 31, 2007 (WMV; 41 MB)

• News Release
• CalSTRS Policy Report (May 2007)
  Uncertain Coverage Spells an Uncertain Retirement (PDF; 118 KB)
• 2006 CalSTRS Health Benefits Survey (PDF; 440 KB)
• Public Education Health Benefit Task Force and related resources
• CalSTRS Medicare Premium Payment Program Eligibility Extended