CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The series of hearings regarding public employees’ health insurance plans began with a telephone town hall on Tuesday.
Ted Cheatham, the director of the Public Employees Insurance Agency, fielded questions from participants about the proposal for fiscal year 2021, in which coverage would begin next July for active and non-Medicare retirees. For Medicare retirees. the proposed changes will go into effect in January 2021.
“There should be absolutely no premium changes for state employees, non-state employees, non-Medicare retirees or Medicare retirees,” Cheatham said. “We are anticipating getting a little money from the PEIA Rainy Day Fund that was set up for us, so there will be no changes to premiums at this time recommended.”
Cheatham said in March the recently created Rainy Day Fund could cover increasing costs for all state workers through fiscal year 2022.
Coverage for state employees will not toward an 80/20 plan under the Finance Board’s proposal.
There is an optional life insurance premium increase depending on coverage, as well as a basic life insurance increase. They can compare Life Cover Quotes here.
There will be additional changes for active employees and non-Medicare retirees under the proposal: two free chiropractic visits for back pain only and Plan C that will no longer allow out-of-network coverage for out-of state-care. PEIA will also be launching wellness pilot programs in January aimed at diabetes prevention and weight control.
The next public hearing will take place Wednesday at the Erickson Alumni Center at West Virginia University. The hearing is scheduled to start at 6 p.m.