After years of battling fires, some retired Lansing firefighters now find themselves fighting a different kind of battle — one for their health and financial security.
Members of the Lansing Professional Firefighters union are bracing for significant hikes to their health insurance premiums. For many, the increases will amount to hundreds of dollars more each month, raising fears over how they’ll afford care for job-related illnesses and injuries.
At the heart of the issue is a disagreement over how the city is interpreting a 2013 union contract. Retirees argue the city had long honored the contract in a way that protected their healthcare costs — until now.
“It’s personal, because we’ve given 25 years of our lives to the city, to serve it,” said Eric Weber, who retired from the Lansing Fire Department after decades of service.
Weber, who now faces serious health challenges including a rare leukemia and a past cardiac issue, said the financial strain of increased premiums could jeopardize his ability to manage his conditions — and keep his family covered.
“I have cancer, a rare leukemia, possibly from the job,” he said. “In 2019, I had a heart stent put in.”
For retirees like Weber, the stakes are high. They’re calling on the city to honor the original spirit and application of the 2013 agreement, emphasizing that the toll of their service should not be met with rising healthcare costs in retirement.
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