Originally Posted by Reuters

- Ford Motor Co. (F.N: Quote, Profile, Research) is cutting benefits for U.S. salaried employees as it struggles to conserve cash after a $7.2 billion loss so far this year.

Ford is scaling back health care benefits, raising premiums, eliminating merit pay for 2007 and delaying December paychecks by one week, Ford spokeswoman Marcey Evans said on Thursday.

"We are working hard to ensure we continue to provide competitive total compensation to our work force, while attacking our uncompetitive cost structure, including employee health care costs," Mark Fields, head of the automaker's Americas unit, said in an e-mail to employees on Wednesday.

The cuts come after Ford last week posted a third-quarter $5.8 billion loss, its largest in 14 years, as it absorbed restructuring charges, operating losses and asset write-downs. Ford lost $1.4 billion in the first half of the year.

Ford has warned that operating results would weaken in the current quarter and cash flow would remain negative in the coming few years as it closes 16 plants and slashes nearly 45,000 jobs to turn around its North American unit.

Evans said Ford will eliminate health insurance for Medicare eligible retirees in 2008 and raise health care premiums in June 2007 for employees by about 30 percent, the second straight year of increase.

The No.2 U.S. automaker also will replace its traditional health coverage for salaried retirees over 65 with a $1,800 annual stipend that they can use to buy supplemental health coverage in addition to government-run Medicare.

Ford will stop paying for any health care coverage for dependent children of retirees who are over 65, Evans said.

In addition, this year, all hourly and salaried employees will also see their year-end paycheck delayed by one week.