Public sector workers paying more of their health care costs

[marmar]

from the Sacramento Bee:



Workers in private industry have felt the sting of rising health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs for decades. Now, as government budgets bleed, public employees are starting to share the pain.

In the past year, Sacramento's largest school districts have trimmed health care coverage. Local and state government officials also are looking for ways to save.

And while public employee unions have made preserving health benefits a priority, they have been pressed to give ground or face more layoffs.

"We can't afford to continue to pay double-digit inflation on health care costs," said Steven Ladd, superintendent of the Elk Grove Unified School District. "We must manage this because it's a huge portion of our expenditures."

Last year, the district spent $57 million on health coverage for its employees – more than twice the $28 million it cost five years ago. ..........(more)

The complete piece: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/07/15/2891358/public-sector-workers-paying-more.html#storylink=omni_popular#ixzz0toAZW7RO

[Bitwit1234]

1. I feel extremely lucky.

I retired from a state and have pick up health insurance from that state along with my Medicare. My insurance has gone up about 2 dollars and down about the same over the 12 years I have been retired. This year it went down .30. I don't mind paying an extra 2 or 3 dollars a month as long as I can keep it and it pays for my care.