State Health Plan

Adam Searing at NC Policy Watch keeps his finger on the pulse of the ailing State Health Plan and the effect on state workers like April Graham:
State Employee Speaks Out at Obama Health Forum

While the state employee health plan is sucking up the oxygen of attention, it does not occur in a vacuum.

Also in the news of late is newly-minted State Treasurer Janet Cowell's warnings here and here about the state's bond rating should we not fully fund the state employee pension plan (in some part of the biennium - the two-year budget cycle).

While the Governor, apparently unstoppably, raids the rainy day fund to cover the state employee health plan debacle, the state employees are also coming to scream for more money for the pension fund.

Please contact your state representatives tomorrow and ask them to vote against Senate Bill 287.

S.B. 287 is a change to the State Health Plan intended to make the plan's budget solvent. However, the bill adversely affects state employees and teachers, who will have to pay much more for health coverage. The State Employees Assn. of North Carolina expects that many younger workers will avoid the plan for less costly options, exacerbating the problems the bill intends to solve. If less new people buy in to the plan, then it supports older, less healthy people and costs will increase. Down the road, a taxpayer-funded bailout may be necessary for us to fulfill our obligations.

Over the past few weeks State Government has been dogged by a number of huge issues facing the state. Not the least of these are an estimated 3 Billion plus budget shortfall over the 09-11 fiscal years and a State Health Plan in crisis.

Through it all, Governor Bev Perdue has worked hard to protect working families, even while others push her in the wrong direction.

From the good people at Democracy North Carolina via the N&O, which apparently doesn't have any reporters left to do this kind of work.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina donated $643,000 to state politicians from the 2000 election cycle through 2008, the election watchdog group Democracy North Carolina says. No other company the size of Blue Cross has donated more to state politics, the organization said in a news release today.

If you need any more evidence that our elected leaders are fiddling while North Carolina burns, consider this story from the Dome.