85,000 laid-off and retired former employees of the LTV Steel Company, and their dependants, lost their health insurance coverage today as an order by a federal bankruptcy judge allowing both their former employer and the buyer of its closed plants to avoid continuing the benefits went into effect today. This loss of coverage is a major blow to the steelworkers---many of whom have severe health problems from years spent in the mills, and some of whom will also see drastic cuts in their pensions---and brings to well over 100,000 the number of former steelworkers who have lost benefits due to steel corporation bankruptcies in the past two years. The United Steel Workers of America has vowed to fight for federal government protection of the health benefits of the approximately 600,000 steel industry retirees and dependents.
See STEPHEN FRANKLIN, Chicago Tribune, March 31, 2002