The state of Louisiana ran by Bobby Jindal administration decided to change the insurance of Louisiana state employees and retirees to help build the reserve back up that dwindled due to miss management. Louisiana’s Office of Group Benefits, which provides health care coverage to 230,000 state employees, retirees and teachers, had $500 million in reserves in 2011. By lowering health premiums for employees and retirees, state agencies also paid less for benefits—and used the money on other budget needs instead, according to analysis by the public Affairs Research Council. But with reserves dwindling rapidly, premiums were increased in July, prescription drug benefits were cut in August and the Jindal administration announced dramatic changes for 2015. All of Louisiana state employees now have to suffer because of mismanagement by state officials. Is it the fault of all 230,000 people covered that the reserves are dwindling? Why do the people have to pay for some narcissist individual that cannot manage money? As a state employee for the past 10 years I have seen my health care coverage decrease. In 2008 the state employees were insured by Humana, which was a great insurance company. Humana had low premiums, great prescription coverage, and good out of pocket cost.
Then around 2011 we had to switch to Blue Cross Blue Shield and some huge changes were made in the prescription coverage. Deductibles went up and prescription medicines are no longer covered if there is a generic brand. Forcing the customer to buy generic brand weather they wanted to or not; it comes down to paying 65.00 vs. 250.00. As a sick individual always needing medicine and care of the doctor insurance coverage changing affects me dramatically. The state of Louisiana isn’t thinking about the people who have to suffer they are only worried about making state employees pay for someone else’s mistake.
Now in March of 2015 state employees insurance is changing again; making out of pocket cost more expensive and higher deductibles. In today’s economy who can afford this type of coverage. State employees work very hard for their money and deserve the best there is to offer. What is the point of paying for insurance when the deductibles and out of pocket cost are so expensive. The people who should have to pay are the people who messed up the account and made the reserves dwindle. Not middle class employees already struggling to make ends meet. This change makes individuals have to choose between gas and medicine because who can afford both. Since money was taking out of this account to pay other stuff why can’t other cut backs be made to put the money back.
Louisiana state employees and retirees are burnt out on getting the lower end of the deal. Louisiana state employees and retirees were forced to choose a new health care plan and if not chosen by Dec. 31 2014 employees were automatically enrolled into a real cheap high out of pocket cost plan. State of Louisiana had to contact every employee and retiree to make them aware of this insurance change. That is a lot of time and paper wasted just for the state to put money back in the reserves. Bobby Jindal administration could have done a better job to resolve this issue, but once again they must steal from the poor to feed the rich it’s like Robin Hood.
“This thing is set in stone,” retiree Ray Clement said. “Carry a message to the man upstairs. ... His capricious and unethical attitude toward the process is a slap in the face to every honest, hard-working individual in the state of Louisiana.” Retiree Stan Hurder complained that the changes set up a “two-tiered” system. “You need to go back to the drawing board and provide equal coverage for everybody.”
Hurder said the Legislature should reimburse Group Benefits for the dollars lost from the reserve fund because of administrative actions.
In conclusion the State employees and retirees of Louisiana just want to be heard. Stop making middle class people pay for the mistakes of our government. Reconsider this set back and try a different approach to build the reserve back up. Make changes that won’t affect so many individuals and there lively hood have a heart Bobby Jindal and reconsider this change. Place yourself in our shoes.