Public hearing photos and WVEA testimony are online.”
Item below is also from WVEA site. Also be sure to go to this great site and read President Dale Lee’s inspiring “I Am Appalled” WVEA testimony at Public Hearing.
WVEA angered by Finance Board actions
http://www.wvea.org/leg_action_ctr/peiaadopted.aspPremium Increases
“Active Increases
Single – $2 to $19*
Family – $9 to $57*
(*per month depending on participant’s salary)
WVEA angered by Finance Board actions WVEA is angered by the actions of the PEIA Finance Board. They have once again chosen to balance PEIA’s budget by shifting costs to employees and retirees. Hundreds of employees and retirees attended the public hearings and their concerns seem to have fallen on deaf ears. “I believe the Finance Board had a plan in mind all along and the public hearings were just an exercise they were required to go through,” stated WVEA President Dale Lee. “It appears they had a direction they intended to go and they held firm.” For active employees and retirees under the age of 65 premiums will increase – an average of 9% for active employees and 11% for retirees under age 65. The tobacco differential for smokers was increased $10 for a single plan ($15 to $25) and $20 for a family plan ($30 to $50). Medicare eligible retirees saw no premium increase; however, their out-of-pocket maximum was increased from $500 to $750 in a plan year. These increases come at a time when many participants have seen a reduction in their income and have dipped into their savings as the national economy continues in a decline. Meanwhile, PEIA has a revenue surplus of over $20 million. This is more than enough to offset benefits or premium changes; yet it is not being used to assist employees or retirees. Because our members voiced their opposition to the proposed plan, we were successful in eliminating the new drug formulary, eliminating the proposed 70/30 split for out-of-state network providers, stopping increases in co-pays and Tier II drugs and stopping the increases in the out-of-pocket maximums. By holding back those changes, employees and retirees were able to mitigate a portion of the cost shifting. In addition, premium increases were eliminated for retirees over 65 years of age. “The continued chipping away of benefits and increasing premiums is not acceptable. Retirees and employees should not have the PEIA budget balanced on their backs,” states WVEA President Dale Lee. “We understand that health care costs are a source of concern for all employees, employers and retirees in our state and nation. Shifting costs to employees and retirees while PEIA is experiencing a surplus is the reserve account is unacceptable.” “When you look at the plan in total (premiums, co-pays and deductibles) employees and retirees contribute nearly 40% of the overall cost of the plan. WVEA will continue our efforts to amend the current 80/20 legislation regarding PEIA,” concluded Lee.”
