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Public Employees Objecting to Proposed Benefits Cuts
By: Associated Press
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) – A group of teachers, public employees and retirees in West Virginia is objecting to proposed health insurance benefits cuts.
The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports the group expressed its concerns Wednesday evening to the Public Employees Insurance Agency Finance Board at the last of five public hearings on the latest proposed cuts.
The proposals include shrinking the Agency’s salary-based premium scale from 10 tiers to three and changing family coverage from a flat rate to a pay-by-person charge.
Fred Albert, president of the Kanawha County branch of the American Federation of Teachers, was among many speakers who said the proposals would hurt young teachers and employees at the bottom of salary scales.
Board members will have a final approval vote Dec. 7 on the 2018-19 plan.