Posted: 7:23 PM May 15, 2012
Reporter: Justin Fabiano

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News 12 at 11 o'clock / Tuesday, May 15, 2012

AIKEN, S.C. -- They're nicknamed the "Cold War Warriors," but SRS retirees feel like they're getting the cold shoulder when it comes to their health care benefits.

"We hope our status as 'Cold War Warriors' would give us a leg up," said Nick Kuehn with the SRS Retiree Association. "One of the things they always touted was [we'll] have medical coverage for life."

That's not the case anymore.

Retirees 65 and older will get a $2,400 stipend per year along with a one-time payment of $500.

Those under 65 currently contribute 15 percent of their health care coverage. Over the next five years, those premiums will increase to 25 percent.

"[That means] more out-of-pocket money to buy health insurance or a reduction in coverage, and I just don't see any other way around it," Kuehn said.

The Department of Energy says the cuts in benefits will save them $600 million.

"If it saves money for the general taxpayer, this should be mutually beneficial," Congressman Joe Wilson said.

He got involved by pushing the Department of Energy to answer questions about the benefit cuts.

One of those questions: "Will the stipend adjust for inflation?"

Retirees say the Department of Energy based their $600 million in savings projection on never having to increase the stipend, although they're telling retirees it will be reviewed "periodically."

To read the entire list of changes, click here.

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