Lack Of Providers & Hospitals Under New Plan Is Disgraceful, Leaving Many Educators Without Adequate Health Insurance

• PAGE believes that the Department of Community Health’s (DCH) handling of the changes in the State Health Benefit Plan has been a disgrace. It has been very poorly planned. DCH should have had prior assurances from critical providers and hospitals of their willingness to work with United Health Care (UHC) prior to signing with UHC as the sole administrator of the State’s PPO.

   

• DCH’s position that they have no say in who is included in UHC’s network of providers is simply a way for them to pass the buck and not take responsibility for the mess they have created. They never should have chosen UHC as the sole administrator unless they were certain that the educators and state employees in Southwest Georgia would have an adequate network of providers and hospitals.

   

• In addition, DCH failed to provide clear communication in advance of making these major changes. Now, educators are running out of time to make a selection on their coverage prior to the close of open enrollment which is November 8th at 4:00 p.m. The open enrollment period must be extended in order to correct these problems prior to forcing educators to make a major health care decision that could end up costing them large amounts of money in out-of-network fees or to purchase insurance through a spouse’s private plan.

   

• The bigger issue is that the governor and the legislature have continually under-funded this benefit. Over the years, PAGE has sought additional funding to offset the increase in premiums. Year after year these increases have instead been passed onto the program participants.

   

• The 2006 legislative session which happens to be in an election year is the time for our voices to be heard. We need more funding, educators on the Board of DCH, and better planning and communication from DCH.

   

• Educators are being held accountable for the achievement of students. Shouldn’t the Governor, legislature and DCH be held accountable for the programs they provide?