During the last week of legislative session, OPEA members took action and saved dollars in their paychecks for the upcoming plan year.
SB 2052, the state and education employees insurance reform bill, passed both the House and the Senate on Thursday, May 27, one day before the legislature adjourned for the year. The bill, which was almost 300 pages long, combines the Oklahoma State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board (OSEEGIB) and the Employees Benefit Council into one agency, expands the wellness program and changes the HMO bid process to one plan with expanded geographical coverage.
More importantly, SB 2052 preserves the state employee benefit allowance at 2010 levels. With changes in the state HMO program coming in the next plan year, state employees would have lost between $35 and $115 from their monthly checks.
“Such comprehensive change will no doubt have issues that come up in the future,” said OPEA Executive Director Sterling Zearley. “The State Employee Health Insurance Review Working Group will continue to meet throughout the interim as the agencies merge and the HMO program is bid. OPEA members with ideas about the insurance program should plan to attend their Regional platform meeting and the OPEA convention in August to present their concerns and issues for discussion.”
For more information on the state employee benefit allowance click here.
Posted on
Fri, May 28, 2010
by Trish Frazier