By Ashley Perham, The Herald-Dispatch
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Finance Board of West Virginia’s Public Employees Insurance Agency has approved increases to premiums, deductibles, the spousal surcharge and co-pays, confirmed PEIA Director Brian Cunningham.
The changes include:
- Premium increases of 14% for public employees in the state fund, or 16% in plans for local government entities
- Premium increases of 12% for retirees
- 40% increase in deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums for employees and non-Medicare retirees
- Increase in the spousal surcharge from $149 to $350
- Other increases in copays — including certain therapies, emergency room visits, inpatient and pharmacy charges
However, two amendments were made to the proposed plan, Cunningham said.
First, the board decided against moving from 10 salary ranges to five. A worker’s salary range determines their health insurance premium.
“… the tier collapse would have financially hurt our lowest-earning employees the hardest,” the American Federation of Teachers — West Virginia said in a statement.
