State health plan vote could spike health insurance premiums
IN THAT SAME APARTMENT COMPLEX
EARLIER THIS MONTH. THANK YOU,
BRIAN. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE IN NORTH CAROLINA WILL
FACE HIGHER HEALTH INSURANCE
PREMIUMS.
>> THE STATE HEALTH PLAN BOARD
IS SET TO VOTE ON THE HIGHER
RATES TOMORROW. THE BOARD SAYS
THIS INCREASE IS NECESSARY TO
COVER THE EXPENSE OF THE
PROGRAM. THE BUREAU CAPITAL
BUREAU CHIEF LAURA LESLIE IS
LIVE AT THE LEGISLATIVE
BUILDING. LAURA, HOW MUCH MORE
WILL EMPLOYEES HAVE TO PAY?
>> YOU KNOW, JAILED FOR THE
FIRST TIME IN STATE HEALTH
PLAN. HISTORY. PREMIUMS ARE
GOING TO BE ON A SLIDING SCALE
RIGHT? SO IF YOU MAKE $50,000 A
YEAR OR LESS, A STATE EMPLOYEE,
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A SMALLER
INCREASE. BUT IF YOU MAKE
$90,000 OR MORE PER YEAR,
YOU'LL SEE A LARGER INCREASE
AND THE INCREASES DON'T DEPEND
SOLELY ON THE ON YOUR PAY.
IT ALSO DEPENDS WHAT PLAN
YOU'RE ON.
THAT DID THAT FOR A SINGLE
WORKER MAKING UNDER $50,000 A
YEAR ON THE BASIC PLAN, THE
PREMIUM WILL GO UP TO 10TH AT
10 UP $10 A MONTH. BUT A SINGLE
WORKER MAKING THAT $90,000 A
YEAR ON THE PLUS PLAN WILL SEE
AN INCREASE OF $110 A MONTH.
OTHER CHANGES DO DEPEND ON YOUR
SALARY AT ALL. COPAYS ARE GOING
UP FOR JUST ABOUT EVERYONE.
FOR MOST PRESCRIPTION DRUGS,
EMERGENCY BERM COPAYS WILL
NEARLY DOUBLE THE ANNUAL
DEDUCTIBLE FOR THE STANDARD
PLAN WILL DOUBLE THE STATE
HEALTH PLAN BOARD WILL VOTE ON
THESE CHANGES TOMORROW. PLAN
DIRECTOR TOM FRIEDMAN EXPECTS
IT WILL PASS. WHY WERE THESE
INCREASE IS NECESSARY?
>> AT ITS SIMPLEST LEVEL, THE
PAST 8 YEARS, THE STATE HEALTH
PLAN HAS BEEN SPENDING MORE
MONEY. IT WAS TAKING IN.
THE PREVIOUS TREASURY CAME IN
WITH SIGNIFICANT RESERVES.
THOSE RESERVES ARE GONE.
SO IS HEALTH CARE COSTS
CONTINUE TO INCREASE WITHOUT
RESERVES. WE HAVE A PRETTY
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES.
>> AND THE PLAN WAS PROJECTED
TO RUN OUT OF MONEY NEXT YEAR
UNLESS CHANGES WERE MADE.
OTHER CHANGES WILL INCLUDE
LOWER IN COST TO ENROLL
CHILDREN IN A HEALTH PLAN.
THEY'RE ALSO GETTING RID OF THE
TOBACCO AT A STATION IN THE
HIGHER PREMIUMS FOR SMOKERS,
GROUPS THAT REPRESENT TEACHERS
AND STATE EMPLOYEES SAY THEY
ARE DISAPPOINTED BY THE
INCREASES. WELL HERE,
ESPECIALLY IN A YEAR WHERE THEY
HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANY RAISES WILL