Teachers and other state employees brace for possible health insurance increase

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (KFOR) – In what was a historic year for education funding in Oklahoma, lawmakers didn't seem to prepare for a major insurance cost increase set to hit next year.

At a Thursday meeting, the Employees Group Insurance Division (the state group that administers group health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance for public employees and retirees in Oklahoma) voted on an around 18% cost increase in insurance for state employees through the provider HealthChoice.

"It's crazy to think that in Oklahoma, we can't give our teachers enough insurance coverage that if their kid gets cancer, it should cover everything," said Kaleb Swboni, Principal at Tannehill Public Schools.

Swboni oversees about 120 or so kids and several staff members in the Eastern Oklahoma School. He said he loves his job and claims he has the best teachers in the state.

"We don't do it for the salaries we never have," said Swboni.

He responded to News 4's call out for interviews with educators after it was announced that state employees could see their insurance costs double, and even triple, next year.

He wanted to speak out for the teachers in his school and those around the state.

"It's a very good insurance system that we have that the states put in place. And just like everything else over the years, it has become increasingly more expensive, like everything else. You know, unfortunately, over the years, instead of rising incrementally, incrementally throughout the years, you know, we've held off X amount of years," said Swboni.

He also reached out to talk about his six-year-old son, who was diagnosed with cancer at the time. They were on HealthChoice, making the payments at the time. Luckily, St. Jude Children's Research Center reached out and helped pay for the costs of treatment. Them and many others.

"I think it was seven rounds of chemo, tumor resection, five rounds of two bone marrow transplants, and five rounds of radiation," said Swboni.

But, in May, his little boy became cancer-free. Having to worry about the cost was the last thing on his mind.

He recognizes the importance of healthcare and knows that with a rise in costs, many educators could leave Oklahoma education altogether or go without coverage.

"Sometimes a cancer diagnosis is a bankruptcy. Obviously, it hits me differently, but I feel like teachers should be educators, should be on the front line, like they should be on the front of every benefit, but on the backside of every cut," said Swboni.

Add this increase in insurance costs to the historical education funding from the state, which produced a $2,000 salary raise for educators this year.

However, the insurance increase almost outweighs that salary raise.

"I think we said 18%, which on a mid-level to entry-level teacher, we're talking the 1500 to $2500 extra year," said Swboni. "That's just going to cover your health insurance costs."

The money for the salary raise is said to have gone to the district, and then the district can decide what to do with it. News 4 was contacted by several teachers off camera who said that they never got that raise, so this cost, for them, just makes things worse.

It's not just educators in the classroom; it is also retired educators who are on HealthChoice. They would be devastated as well with the massive increase.

"Oh, it's a huge, huge number," said Representative Ellen Pogemiller (D-OKC).

Pogemiller sounded the alarm shortly after the vote concluded to raise it. She said that she reached out to the Healthcare Authority, which said that the increase was coming; it was only a matter of time.

"I actually reached out to the health care authority because I was frustrated, and I said, I am like, provide some clarity on what's happening here," said Rep. Pogemiller. "They said, you know, that this increase should have gone into place last year. You know, that technically, health insurance has gone up, and we've kind of maintained a level of lower premiums on our teachers and state employees. And because of that, you know, the state has been eating a little bit more of those costs, and they believe it's not sustainable anymore."

She said that usually the increase comes in small increments. This one will come in one big swoop if it gets approval.

It has to be reviewed by the Oklahoma Healthcare Authority before it then gets approved or not approved by the Oklahoma Management and Enterprise Services.

"I mean, I think in general we know that health insurance, Medicaid, these programs not only provide health insurance for families, but they sustain health care coverage in the communities where they live. And if families are choosing not to have health care coverage or people don't, they're priced out of the market," said Rep. Pogemiller.