Court: June deadline for retiree premium refunds

By The Associated Press

SPRINGFIELD – A court has approved a schedule for refunds to tens of thousands of Illinois state retirees who've been paying a portion of their pensions for health insurance over the last year and a half.
 
The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reports that according to the schedule refunds should be paid to retirees by June 15.
 
Retirees began paying a percentage of their annuity under a 2012 law. An Illinois Supreme Court ruling this summer found the law unconstitutional. The state decided not to fight the retirees' motion to return the money.
 
The Illinois Department of Central Management Services said Monday that $63 million in premiums was collected from about 90,000 retirees. The amount refunded to retirees will be determined by how much the court awards for attorneys' fees.

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