Posted on 01/04/2012 7:28:28 AM PST by afraidfortherepublic
State workers and their families will pay more for medical care starting Jan. 1 under the latest changes to emerge from a state law that wiped out most public employee union rights.
The changes in the state health plan require 183,000 participants to pay 10 percent of their bills for doctor visits, tests, surgeries and hospitalizations up to an annual maximum of $500 for single people and $1,000 for families.
Health plan administrators have explained the new system previously, but they expect to get a lot more questions when workers begin reaching into their pockets.
"I think the reality will hit when the bill comes in the mail," said Lisa Ellinger, insurance services administrator for the state Department of Employee Trust Funds.
Part of budget repair bill
The changes are part of a 5 percent reduction in the state health insurance system required under Act 10, the so-called budget repair bill that set off weeks of mass demonstrations at the Capitol before it was passed by the Republican majority in the Legislature and signed by Gov. Scott Walker.
The law stripped most public sector workers of collective bargaining rights, and since August
That’s still a lot better plan than most non-goverment folks get!
They should have to pay 100 percent, since I pay their salaries and I sure as heck don’t get 90 percent covered!
Fire them all if they strike.
WISCONSIN MEDICAL CARE/PENSION Ping
This is a recap of the policies that actually went into effect Jan. 1. It is worth it to read the whole article to separate fact from fiction.
If you want on, or off, this Wisconsin interests ping list, just FReep Mail me with your screen name and it shall be done. Thanks.
Hope they stop and thank the taxpayers for the fact they still have better health coverage than most of them.
They have to pay a co-pay like a common private sector conservative! Someone cue the "oh, the huge manatee" picture.
Freakin spare me the sob story. The "reality" is that these people have it so much better than most private company employees that it isn't funny. They all need to get fired and find real jobs.
Absolutely! Up until now, they paid NOTHING.
Oh the humanity! Life as we know it is about to end.
Welcome to the rest of state employees throughout the country. My heart bleeds for them.
they’ll just get the money from somewhere else:
“Baldwin-Woodville school district workers get $500 bonuses”
http://www.leadertelegram.com/news/front_page/article_eb4310f6-b2d3-5c14-8ef7-da2efc950d9b.html
Incredible... The unions own the school boards. Who represents the taxpayers?
Just like everybody else.
“”The changes in the state health plan require 183,000 participants to pay 10 percent of their bills for doctor visits, tests, surgeries and hospitalizations up to an annual maximum of $500 for single people and $1,000 for families””
I wish I had such a Rolls Royce Plan. I have to pay up to an annual maximum of $6,000.
This was a good first step in Wisconsin, now they need to make further cuts in salary and benefits.
Wow. I wish I had a plan that good. Heck, I could pay quadruple their new annual maximum and still have a savings over my current plan.
You are correct, with the new required employee contributions, modest co-pays and low deductible, the state and other public workers under the state health insurance plan get a great deal compared to what private workers pay if they are lucky enough to work for a company that offers benefits.
Plus, Walker’s reforms broke the strangle hold the teacher’s union health plan had on most school districts in the state. Now, districts can ask for health insurance bids from a variety of health insurers, not just the WEAC Trust. Faced with this the WAEC Trust cut its rates to stay in the running.
Forgive me if I missed these details (trying to get some work done today), but do you know whether they pay any premiums? Or just this 10% deductible up to $1,000 for family? If they have no premium expense, what a GREAT FREAKIN’ DEAL thay are getting!
Plus, I think paying co-pays & deductibles helps to keep people from overutilization.
You mean like everyone else? Horrors /s
I don’t know about premiums. They used to pay NOTHING. Just NOTHING for either their health insurance or their retirement benefits (which are lavish). I think they have to pay something now, but I think it is small.
I just received the following from the Club for Growth! ROTFLOL!
Mayor Barrett (Dem) Saved Milwaukee $25 million
Dear Friend,
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett has become the official poster child for Governor Walker’s budget reforms. That’s right. The unfailingly liberal mayor took a right turn on public employee benefits, and used the Governor’s reforms to save taxpayers $25 million a year.
In fact, during the debate over collective bargaining changes, Barrett even said the law requiring public employees to contribute to their health care and pension benefits didn’t go far enough because it excluded police and firefighters. Barrett complained that they were receiving “Cadillac benefits”.
Last but not least, Mayor Barrett sought to use the Governor’s reforms in order to get around a ten year old legal settlement with city workers. “It is my hope that all public employees should be required to pay more toward their pension,” Barrett wrote in a letter to Governor Walker.
The Wisconsin Club for Growth thanks Mayor Barrett for helping Governor Walker make his case. More importantly, we thank him for saving Milwaukee taxpayers as much as $36 million in 2012 through health care benefit changes he didn’t have to negotiate with unions, as a result of Governor Walker’s reforms.
Today, the Wisconsin Club for Growth launched several billboards in Milwaukee to thank Mayor Barrett-— for using Governor Walker’s reforms! Now we need your help to keep them up.
(appeal for money follows)
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