State workers and teachers can expect to see a hike in their insurance premiums next year. Georgia Health News reports premiums will go up about 3.7% for coverage next year in the State Health Benefit Plan. Deductibles, co-pays, co-insurance, and health plan options will remain the same as the year, according to the Georgia Department of Community Health.
The $3.1 billion plan covers about 650,000 state employees, teachers, and other school personnel, retirees and dependents. The rate hikes for non-Medicare plans will depend on the insurance plan options that a member selects, DCH officials said. Premium increases for the current year's coverage averaged 2.5 percent.
Changes in the giant health plan have sparked political controversy in recent years. In 2014, an avalanche of complaints from members of the plan erupted after employees were limited to one insurer, among other changes. That led state officials to implement a quick fix for that year’s plan and to make more revisions in the 2015 plan.
The 3.7 percent premium hike is modest compared to the large double-digit percentage increases that insurers are proposing for individual coverage in the insurance exchanges next year. And large employers in a recent survey said the costs of their health plans will grow 5 percent next year.