Victory! House Votes to Maintain Current Health Insurance Split
May 2, 2008
Congratulations—you did it! Your phone calls, emails and letters to your representatives have put us a step closer to ensuring that your health insurance contribution levels remain unchanged.
The House today approved Rep. Marty Walsh's amendment, which will keep health insurance premium contribution rates at their current levels. Governor Patrick's proposal to tier health insurance costs, increasing expenses for some state employees by 66 percent, has been shot down.
Although the House Ways & Means Committee had reported the House budget bill out with the governor's proposal intact, NAGE did not give up its fight. National President David Holway met with Speaker DiMasi, Senate President Therese Murray, and Senate Ways & Means Chair Steven Panagiotakos, each time carrying your message that shifting a $50 million budget shortfall onto the backs of state workers was unfair and unduly burdensome. Senate President Murray stated publicly and in her private meeting with President Holway that the Senate would not change the health insurance split from its current levels.
The Senate Ways & Means Committee will now take up the budget as the health insurance issue moves closer to final resolution.
Keep checking this web site for updates ... and thank you, again, for all of your hard work in support of fair health insurance.