INSURANCE GOING UP FOR STATE WORKERS - 210,000 State Employees Affected

(12/13/2002)
Insurance rates for state employees will be going up.

State workers and educators can expect to pay nearly 15 million dollars more for their health care next fiscal year.

The increases follow yesterday's vote by the Public Employees Insurance Agency's Finance Board to raise premium rates, after the agency suffered severe losses.

The new rates will increase average monthly premiums by seven dollars for single coverage, 14 dollars for employees with children and 27 dollars for full family coverage.

Premium's for retirees will increase an average of ten percent for those on Medicare and eleven percent for other enrollees.

Bigger discounts for enrollees who don't use tobacco are in store. The monthly discount for single coverage will rise from ten dollars to 15 dollars, and from 20 dollars to 30 dollars for family coverage.

PEIA provides health coverage to about 210,000 state and local employees and their families.