PASCAGOULA, Miss. (AP) - Attorneys for some Mississippi hospital retirees are arguing that local taxpayers should cover expenses for a failed pension plan if the hospital can’t pay the cost.
The Sun Herald reports that attorneys Earl Denham and Harvey Barton represent more than 200 people who retired from Singing River Health System, based in coastal Jackson County.
They are asking the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to consider whether Jackson County should be released from liability if the hospital system can’t pay $150 million over 35 years into the plan that covers more than 3,000 people.
Private pensions are protected under federal law. Governments with pension plans can raise taxes to cover payments if pensions fail. Singing River Hospital System is county-owned but operates as a separate entity.
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