Thank you, Ben Dial, for explaining this. Within the minutes of the most recent EBD meeting, there are some frightening revelations in there. It certainly appears that the EBD is prepared to absolutely destroy our healthcare benefit package and eliminate choice. There is not one single solitary statement in the minutes that should act as a comfort to public school employees. On page 2 under the LEGISLATIVE CHANGES ON BENEFITS, the second paragraph leads with For the PSE Plan spouses may be eliminated. Alexander goes on to say that there is a cheaper plan for spouses on the exchange. Consider the implications of this for a moment. First of all, we now see that there is a definite push to move at least some of the people in our system into the exchange. Firstly, that should not be their decision. We know that for the exchange to work, they have to have volume. This just reeks of collusion between the different parts of government to move some of our people over to the exchange in hopes to improve its chances of success. We are being used as pawns. This concern of collusion unfortunately gets proven true later in the minutes. Second of all, it doesnt take into consideration the entire cost of healthcare. In the first paragraph of the same section, Alexander says that there will likely be deductibles for all plans, including the Gold plan. Assume for a moment that there is a two educator household, of which there are many in the state. With this proposal by EBD, not only can you not put both educators on the same plan, you now would have to pay two different sets of premiums and have to meet two separate deductibles. This holds true even for one educator households because the spouse is going to have to pay the premium of the insurance that is received through the exchange as well as their own premiums. Alexander is essentially saying that educators better get ready to budget for at least two premiums and two deductibles. This is a MAJOR loss of benefit. Meanwhile, Alexander is trying to pass this off as a favor to PSEs. Its insulting. In the third paragraph of the same section on page 2, Alexander was asked if this would apply to state employees as well. I mean, they have reason to be concerned because, after all, they all get the superior healthcare benefits of the ESE plan. They dont desire for that plan to be minimized like the PSE plan. Alexanders response should anger every single one of us. He reported that, after several meetings with the Taskforce, Legislators, and The Governor’s Office that Parity is no longer a goal although, it remains in the statute. Let that sink in. The Governor. The legislators. These folks are in agreement that they can break the law and refuse parity or equality in order to save their own insurance plans even at the expense of dismantling ours. Read that again. In meetings with the GOVERNOR and the LEGISLATORS. It is right there in the minutes. Both branches of government and the EBD board are colluding to obliterate our health benefit package. This isnt a Republican or Democrat party thing. We have a Democratic governor that is colluding and accepting the demise of our insurance. We have a Republican legislature that is doing the same. Alexander says flat out, there has been extensive talk to only offer PSEs a bronze plan at an outrageous price while the ESEs get an option of three plans at much, much lower premiums. This is AGAINST THE LAW. It is self-preservation of their own system at the expense of ours. The Governor. The legislature. The EBD board. They believe they are more important than us. And on page 3, we see why. On page 3, under the IMPACT OF AFFORDABLE CARE ACT IN 2015 heading, the attack against teachers is in full swing. They are making the case for the legislature, which they are in league with to destroy our benefit, that we dont deserve a stronger healthcare benefit package. In the second paragraph of this section, it says, Alexander reports the PSE plan covers employees who work 900 hours annually. This averages 19 hours weekly. Bus drivers who work lesser hours are also covered...It is questionable to continue this coverage for part-time employees. In short, the Governor, the legislature, and EBD board just dont think we work hard enough or long enough to demand adequate and affordable heath coverage for ourselves and families. After all, we only work 19 hours a week. Now, we all know the flaw in this theory. Teachers dont clock in and clock out everyday. We know we take our work home with us. We know we go to ballgames to support our kids- and under TESS, thats basically a requirement now. We know what we work we do, and we should be outraged at the blatant disrespect that Alexander is admitting to the entire state that our Governor, legislature, and benefits board have toward our state teachers. This is what we are up against. We are up against both political parties and both branches of government that can make a difference for us. This is our future if we dont rise together and put the full force of our people into this issue. This is an attack on PSEs. We are 70,000 strong if we bond together. That is almost 1/10th of the vote from the last election. Counting spouses and eligible voting children and parents, we can blow the top off of this thing. But we have to stand united. We have to put the partisanship aside and put these candidates feet to the fire. We have to be willing to support democrats and republicans if they are willing to save our benefit. We have to email like we have never emailed before. We may have to make threats of coordinated action that make us feel uncomfortable. We are talking about nothing less than protecting this profession and thereby protecting the children and education of this state. This group made a lot of noise in the second half of 2013, but it is clear that they thought they could silence us for the moment and deal us a death blow later this year. We cant allow that to happen. Were going to have to put on our marching shoes. Were going to have to work the phones. Were going to have to make, sign, and distribute petitions. This is the battle. This is the day of reckoning.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 15:44:42 +0000
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