States struggle to cover retirees

State and local governments are starting to take aggressive steps to reduce the enormous cost of providing health care benefits to retired teachers, police officers, firefighters and other public workers.

As 43 state legislatures prepare to convene next month, governments are cutting benefits, setting aside money to cover future costs and shifting expenses to the federal Medicare program.

Connecting Tags; Medicare, pharmacy, fan-the-flame, copower, prosynergy