Iowa’s health coverage plans shift cost to state workers
Officials with the
However, the numbers supplied by the state's
"It's going to be a significant cost shift," said
He noted the 2018 plan redesign replacing five insurance options with just two new options could mean considerably higher premiums and more out-of-pocket costs for workers who got a 1 percent pay increase.
"It's atrocious," he added. "They're trying to balance their budget on the backs of hardworking men and women."
Figures from Administrative Services show that full-time
Currently, those employees can choose also more expensive plans with enhanced benefits -- ranging up to
Under both
While the redesigned plans mark a substantial cost increase to many state employees, the new premium rates are far less than what the average Iowan pays for health insurance offered through the workplace.
A 2016 employer benefits study by D.P. Lind Benchmark, a research firm in
Under the new rates, the state employees would annually pay between
In past years, when public employees were allowed to bargain for salary as well as benefits, many chose to forego larger salary increases to avoid higher premiums.
Administrative Services Director
"Every employee is going to be offered the opportunity to sign up for health insurance," Phipps said.
"The state is offering a lot less," he said. "There's absolutely no say for employees. This is really, "Here's what you get.' It's take it or leave it -- Hobson's choice. There's no input from the other side. No consideration at all. I think it's unfair."
But Reynolds, according to a spokeswoman, "supports the change as it's a step in the right direction of having shared cost responsibility between employer and employee on behalf of
Up until February, employee fringe benefits such as health insurance were covered under a collective bargaining law that dated to the 1970s. Former Gov.
During the 2017 legislative session, majority
Branstad signed House File 291 into law before he resigned as governor to become
"They did this to hurt public-sector employees," said Homan. "They did this because
Last month, a
Before leaving office, Branstad touted a voluntary plan to combine state, county, city and school districts into a governmental pool that could be in a better bargaining position to secure health insurance coverage at lower premium costs for employees.
But the idea never was offered to the Legislature, and Administrative Services officials say their focus has been on redesigning the 2018 insurance package.
Currently, it costs
In calendar year 2016, the state paid
l Comments: (515) 243-7220; [email protected]
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