The rates for state employee health insurance were set at the Oklahoma Employees Insurance and Benefits (OEIB) Board Meeting Friday, August 1. The news was mixed this year. The rates for the most popular plan for active state employees, HealthChoice High, increased by three percent. HealthChoice Medicare retirees will see rates decrease by five percent. The HMO rates have not been published, but are anticipated to increase. These new rates would become effective January 1, 2015.
After studying claims experience and national trends, the HealthChoice actuaries recommended an eight percent increase in premiums this year. The board decided to use $32 million in reserves to keep the increase at three percent or $14 per month for an individual employee.
Board member, Jimmy Smith, said state employees have not had pay increases over the last few years and the Board felt it was important to do all they could to help state employees by using reserves to ease the impact of premium increases.
As soon as OEIB releases the entire health insurance rates for 2015, we will share them with members.
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