The Ohio Police & Fire Pension Fund (OP&F) has proposed increases to pension contributions and announced changes to its retiree health care plan as a way to meet its fiduciary responsibilities to members and Ohio�s statutory funding requirements.

OP&F outlined its recommendation on April 12 in a presentation to the Ohio Retirement Study Council (ORSC), a legislative advisory board focused on pension matters.

The changes proposed during the ORSC meeting fall in three areas: member contributions, employer contributions, and the health care plan OP&F sponsors for retirees.

Employers - municipalities and townships � currently pay into the pension system differently for police officers and firefighters, paying 19.5 percent of each paycheck for police officers and 24 percent for firefighters. OP&F recommends raising the employer contribution for police officers to 24 percent over the next five years (this recommendation requires legislative action).
OP&F has also recommended that pension contribution withholdings for active police officers and firefighters be raised from the current 10 percent to 12 percent over the same five-year period (this recommendation requires legislative action).
OP&F�s plan suggests adjusting the reimbursement amount it pays to its Medicare-eligible retirees. Currently, OP&F reimburses the full premium amount retirees pay for Medicare Part B coverage. The OP&F plan recommends capping these reimbursements at $115 per month (this recommendation requires legislative action).
Finally, OP&F has approved changes to the health care options currently offered.