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 |
Offering expanded benefits to an "otherwise qualified adult" at their own expense and without cost to taxpayers is good for Virginia, good for Virginia taxpayers, and good for our families! This is a modest proposal that will offer health insurance to some adults and children in VA who might otherwise be uninsured. It will bring the VA state government and higher education closer to the prevailing practices of employers both in VA and nationwide, and will seriously enhance the ability of the state and state universities to recruit top talent (66% of the top private employers in Virginia offer at least this level of benefits. Almost 60% of the Fortune 500 companies choose to offer such expanded benefits to their employees. At least 12 Virginia-based Fortune 500 or Fortune 1000 companies offer such benefits including: Altria Group, Capital One, CarMax, Dominion Resources, Gannett, Genworth, MCI Group, MeadWestvaco, Owens & Minor, Philip Morris USA, SprintNextel, and SLM Corp.). The only real question here is why Virginia hasn't done this sooner! This is a great program and one that deserves our support.