The Des Moines Register’s editorial board has long argued that state
workers should pay part of the cost of their health insurance. Iowa is
one of only a few states where employees can opt to pay nothing in
premiums for single or family coverage. In fact, 88 percent do exactly
that.
It is not fair to taxpayers in the private sector who are paying significant amounts for less generous coverage. Just as troubling, this no-cost insurance breeds resentment toward state government workers.
These workers should put pressure on their unions negotiating pay and benefits on their behalf. These workers should tell union leaders they want everyone to pay something toward the cost of insurance. Gov. Terry Branstad and the Iowa Department of Administrative Services should not apply not-so-subtle pressure on workers to do so voluntarily.
On Monday, the department sent an email to 22,000 state employees informing them of the opportunity to voluntarily pay 20 percent of their health costs. Workers must submit a health insurance application for a new plan between July 2 and July 19. The monthly cost will range from $85.82 for the least expensive single coverage to $361.44 for the most expensive family coverage. The change will mean losing a plan that is “grandfathered” in under the health reform law and enrolling in a new plan that is not.
The Branstad administration email said those who are “willingly pay 20 percent of their health care costs will be good stewards of taxpayer dollars … setting an example demonstrating that state workers serve the taxpayers.”
Read more: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20120705/OPINION03/120705008/The-Register-editorial-State-workers-should-pay-for-insurance?Opinion&gcheck=1&nclick_check=1
It is not fair to taxpayers in the private sector who are paying significant amounts for less generous coverage. Just as troubling, this no-cost insurance breeds resentment toward state government workers.
These workers should put pressure on their unions negotiating pay and benefits on their behalf. These workers should tell union leaders they want everyone to pay something toward the cost of insurance. Gov. Terry Branstad and the Iowa Department of Administrative Services should not apply not-so-subtle pressure on workers to do so voluntarily.
On Monday, the department sent an email to 22,000 state employees informing them of the opportunity to voluntarily pay 20 percent of their health costs. Workers must submit a health insurance application for a new plan between July 2 and July 19. The monthly cost will range from $85.82 for the least expensive single coverage to $361.44 for the most expensive family coverage. The change will mean losing a plan that is “grandfathered” in under the health reform law and enrolling in a new plan that is not.
The Branstad administration email said those who are “willingly pay 20 percent of their health care costs will be good stewards of taxpayer dollars … setting an example demonstrating that state workers serve the taxpayers.”
Read more: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20120705/OPINION03/120705008/The-Register-editorial-State-workers-should-pay-for-insurance?Opinion&gcheck=1&nclick_check=1
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