Legislators would hike premiums to fix the State Health Plan.
One proposal currently under discussion in the House includes taking $250 million from the rainy-day fund to cover expenses until June 30 and increasing the premium by eight percent on July 1 and again next year.
Democratic Majority Leader Hugh Holliman said that spreads the burden out and still gives the 667,000 state employees, teachers, retirees and their families a better deal than what some private sector employees are facing.
"If I get a health care premium increase of anything less than 15 percent," Holliman said, "that's a good year."
Erica Baldwin, a spokeswoman for the State Employees Association of N.C., which represents state workers, said it agrees with using the rainy-day fund but worries that higher premiums will drive state workers from the plan.
"It's putting costs more out of reach for families," she said. (N&O)
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Re: State Health plan could see hike
It isn't just "...a health care premium increase of anything less than 15 percent,...", as much as it is an increase in a healthcare premium AND no salary increase to help off-set the added expense. Do not forget that on average state employee's earn much less salary then their private sector counterparts. The exchange for a lower salary is suppose to be job security and health benefits. The health benefits have been and continue to be slowly eradicated and now the job security is also going away. There isn't much incentive left for a young college educated professional to remain in government service. What price will the tax payers be willing to pay to have their social services provided to/for them when there is no one competent enough left in state government service?