Posted on 10/26/2013 3:04:47 PM PDT by Lorianne
OLYMPIA, Wash. — In a quest to save money, political leaders in Washington state are exploring a plan that would shift some government workers out of their current health plans and onto the insurance exchange developed under President Barack Obama’s health care law.
Lawmakers believe the change, which could affect thousands of part-time state employees and education workers, would save the state $120 million over the next two years. It would consequently push more health care costs onto the federal government because many of the low-income workers would likely qualify for federal subsidies.
Washington state appears to be the first major government to seriously explore the possibility of pushing public employees into the exchange, but it probably won’t be the last. Rick Johnson, who advises state and local governments on health care policy at the New York-based consulting firm Segal Company, said he expects it will be an option some state and local governments will explore in the years to come.
A spokeswoman with the Department of Health and Human Services declined comment.
Because the federal law requires employers to provide coverage for those working at least 30 hours, states are exploring various ways to manage their part-time employees.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
I decided to investigate and found this article from earlier this year. If someone finds a more recent article please post it.
“Force” is what liberals are all about.
Can u say,”Single Payer?”
Good. Let them eat their own cooking.
Lets see//Washington State, Government employees—sounds like a whole bunch of Dems in the mix. They voted for ‘The Bam’ and now they get to reap the bennies of ‘The Bam’.
Happy socialist medicine—now pay up suckas.
Don’t be shocked to find that the only employees the state kick’s to the curb are non-union. I am waiting for the first government employer to readily accept the fine rather than cover full time employees.
Why would a WA state employee be put on a federal exchange plan when Washington has its own operating state exchange?
The comrade workers of the state will do as mandated by our Dear Leader.
Probably because the 900,000,000.00 the state took from the feds wasn’t enough.
I had Washington Health Plan since 1993. I received a letter stating that as of Jan.1, 2014 my plan will cease to exist. All referrals scheduled past that date are cancelled and any premiums mailed in for coverage past that date will be returned within 6 months.
I am going to see a “health insurance specialist”, (a most senior gal who was a receptionist at my doctor’s office that has been receiving “training” for the past 6 months in preparation of the ACA roll-out), on November 5th, election day, to find a policy on the “exchange”.
Yes, it was discussed during the legislative session, whether or not to put ALL state employees on the health care exchanges, including teachers. Jay Inslee rode to the rescue and declared that the state was not in that bad a position, yet He said that the discussion should be postponed until a later date.
This was most likely a Democrat Party organizing technique, designed to keep the Party faithful in line with the push to raise taxes. It was both suggested by Democrats and put on hold by the Democrat governor.
I should have added that I believe that a lot of the SEIU branches will ultimately be put into the exchanges, because they will either qualify for subsidies or welfare, I mean, Medicaid.
Remember those 4 SEIU branches that sued Gregoire over not funding their contracts? Then after the election, the contracts were approved. Well, those are the unions that I am thinking about, the Day Care Workers, the Home care workers and two others.
My Washington Basic Health Plan ceases to exist also. Paid through the end of the year a couple of months ago.
Every government employee in the country ought to be forced onto Obamacare.
This would have been before the employer mandate was delayed.
Are they now going to terminate their coverage and “force” part time employees into the individual exchange? Don’t quite see how they could do that.
If it’s going to save $120,000,000 their old coverage must really be bad.
All the Unions were behind Obamacare so they should be put on it.
If you sow the wind....
You’re right. I meant the State exchange.
Anyway, she was not happy. Said she could only go to doctors ‘in network’. I guess under her old plan she could go to any doctor.
It’s an opportunity for the Washington bureaucrats to crap all over their workers and get total support from the media. After all, it’s racist to criticize Obamacare. Let ‘em eat cake!
And that is why ObamaCare will stick around and destroy us - entities will discover they can foist costs off on the governmentPeople and voila...
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