In auto talks, no cure-all for healthcare costs

As General Motors, Chrysler, the autoworkers union, and the Obama administration enter negotiations and plot the future of the U.S. auto industry, one of the most delicate issues they face is what to do about the health benefits for retirees. The rising cost of healthcare is one of the key burdens confronting the companies as they try to avoid collapse, illustrating the drag that healthcare can exert on the U.S. economy.