Other Post Employment Benefits-The Other Elephant in the Room

Abstract

The governments of the fifty states of the United States have made promises to past and present employees regarding retirement benefits-predominately pensions and healthcare coverage. The issues surrounding the pension obligations made to these employees have been well examined but the obligations due to promises of healthcare coverage have not received as much attention. There is great variance among the OPEB liability reported by the states. This study examines reasons for the variance. The future payment of healthcare obligations, like pensions, will put extreme stress on states in the future if the impact of these promises is not understood now. Understanding the influence healthcare assumptions have on the reported liabilitites is an important step to understanding these liabilities.