Action | This action will amend section 1VAC 55 320(E) to include adults, other than spouses and incapacitated adult children, as participants in the Health Benefits Plan for State Employees |
Stage | NOIRA |
Comment Period | Ended on 12/23/2009 |
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I am 100% in favor of this proposal. Why? Here are a few of my reasons.
This simple, one sentence amendment would greatly improve the well-being of all Virginians. It would apply to parents, partners, in-laws, or to adult children who live with a parent that works for the state.
The proposal would make affordable health insurance available to more Virginia households and families, and directly to the homes of many of our most valued state employees in agencies and at our top universities and colleges.
Sixteen state governments and 152 city and county governments also offer expanded access to health insurance benefits to their employees. So do most leading universities and colleges such as Harvard, Duke, Furman, Wake Forest, Washington & Lee, Georgetown, George Washington, Sweet Briar, Hollins, Penn State, and Davidson - some in Virginia, and some that our universities compete with for top faculty and students.
Almost 60 percent of Fortune 500 companies today choose to offer such expanded benefits to their employees.
This updated benefits policy is about keeping our state a welcoming and fair-minded place to recruit, reward and retain the best public employees.
This proposal is a great social benefit for our neighbors and friends and coworkers, which is the way it should be in a Commonwealth.
The proposal would not cost the taxpayers anything. Employees would have to pay 100% of the cost of OQA premiums for coverage. This would be in contrast to current state benefits that pay over 80% of the cost of premiums for employees, spouses and covered dependents.