6:00: Morning News

Long-term funding source top concern at PEIA public hearing

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — When the Public Employees Insurance Agency Finance Board held its public hearings last year to discuss the 2018-2019 benefits plan, policyholders were upset about the proposed changes.

Policyholders voiced concerns about premium increases as well as the consolidation of salary tiers.

This year, the attitude toward the 2019-2020 benefits plan has been positive.

“It doesn’t increase anything. It doesn’t take any more from us for the next couple of years,” said Fred Albert, president of the West Virginia chapter of the American Federation of Teachers. “We’re good with what has been offered here.”

The PEIA Finance Board held a public hearing Tuesday at the Little Theater of the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center, the fourth of five scheduled hearings.

Premiums would not increase under the 2019-2020 plan, but the 2020-2021 plan would require an increase in order to maintain benefits.

Both plans from Gov. Jim Justice and the PEIA Task Force removes $25 co-pay for out-of-state services and adds an appeal process for people seeking non-preferred prescription drugs.

Justice is backing most participants in border counties going to an 80-20 coinsurance split, in which PEIA covers 80 percent of related care. The Task Force’s plan proposes an 80-20 split for out-of-state locations.

Medicare retirees will see no benefit changes for 2019 or 2020 given current federal conditions.

Multiple public hearing attendees voiced concerns about the need to find a long-term funding solution.

West Virginia Education Association president Dale Lee said finding a long-term funding source has been a concern at similar meetings in Beckley and Morgantown.

“We can come up with a long-term solution for our employees in West Virginia, and then work with the federal people on the high prescription drug costs and those kinds of issues,” he said.

Albert said he hopes the PEIA Task Force and state lawmakers work together in finding a long-term funding solution.

“There needs to be a dedicated funding source, but we realize it is not the job of this finance board. It’s the job of the legislators,” he added.

A common suggestion from public hearing attendees was taxes related to natural gas development in the state.

With the start of the legislative session three weeks away, Albert said his fellow union members will advocate for a funding solution.

“We made a down payment last spring when we brought this issue to the forefront and shed some light on the crisis that we have without health insurance,” he added. “We’re going to continue to do our work We’re going to continue watching how this money is allocated.”

The final public hearing will be held Wednesday in Martinsburg at the Holiday Inn. The hearing is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.





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