It's just an awful situation : ( -- <font size = "4">The Drunks Bar </font size "4">

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Date Posted: 10:13:28 02/07/03 Fri
Author: NKLS Cody
Subject: It's just an awful situation : (
In reply to: Kathy 's message, "I am busy." on 07:39:55 02/07/03 Fri

You work so very hard and deserve a lighter schedule, Kathy. I am so sorry this terrible situation involving health care issues is getting so much worse under the Bush misadministration, however, some form of limited help is on the way for a few. Us non-feds need some assistance, too!

Washingtonpost.com

Hoyer, Mikulski Seek to Reduce Employee Share of Rising Health Care Premiums

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32600-2003Feb5.html

By Stephen Barr

Thursday, February 6, 2003; Page B02

Health insurance premiums for federal employees jumped an average of 13.3 percent last year and 11.1 percent this year, and most experts anticipate that premiums will keep rising because of increased costs for prescription drugs and hospital outpatient care.

In a bid to help federal employees and retirees cope with rising premiums, Rep. Steny H. Hoyer and Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski, both Maryland Democrats, introduced legislation yesterday that would raise the government's contribution toward premiums in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program from an average of 72 percent to 80 percent.

"This is a step you can take that will enhance the value of a federal job and make us more competitive in the marketplace," Hoyer said.

He said many federal employees "are really stretched by health care premiums," noting that a government worker who is paid $30,000 spends 10.8 percent of take-home pay on health insurance premiums.

Mikulski's staff said premiums for employees and retirees are almost 50 percent higher than they were five years ago. Reducing the employee share, Mikulski said, would put the government "on a more level playing field with the private sector."

In addition to higher premiums, FEHBP enrollees have been asked to pick up more of the program's cost through increases in co-payments for physician office visits and annual deductibles.

If the government's share of premiums increased to 80 percent, employees could expect to save several hundred dollars a year, Hoyer aides said. Shifting the formula would reduce the typical enrollee's cost by about $20 biweekly, producing an annual average savings of more than $500, the aides said.

Hoyer and Mikulski introduced similar legislation three years ago, at a time when federal employee health care premiums were beginning to rise sharply. The measure stalled, in part because changing the premium formula increases the government's share of program costs.

But Hoyer said he hopes to work with Republicans and other Democrats to build support for this year's bill. Two Republicans, Reps. Frank R. Wolf (Va.) and John M. McHugh (N.Y.), have agreed to co-sponsor the bill, Hoyer said. Mikulski said Sen. Paul S. Sarbanes (D-Md.) would co-sponsor her bill.

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