GE Note 6 Note 6 Retiree Health and Life Benefits GE and its affiliates sponsor a number of retiree health and life insurance benefit plans. Principal retiree benefit plans generally provide health and life insurance benefits to employees who retire under the GE Pension Plan with 10 or more years of service.
Retirees share in the cost of their health care benefits.
Benefit provisions are subject to collective bargaining. At the end of 1997, these plans covered approximately 250,000 retirees and dependents. Details of cost for principal retiree benefit plans follow. GE funds retiree life insurance benefits at its discretion and within limits imposed by tax laws. Plan assets are held in trust and consist mainly of common stock and fixed-income investments.