Pennsylvania Senate Changes Health Plan

Pennsylvania Senate Changes Health Plan — State Senate President Pro-Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-25) confirmed in a Feb. 9 letter to the Bucks County Courier Times that the Senate is replacing its luxury employee medical plan with one akin to the kind almost universal in the private sector. It is expected to save the state $1 million annually.

The elimination of indemnity health plans was approved in December by The Senate Committee on Management Operations, according to the Courier Times, and all senators, employees and retirees will be in a preferred provider organization plan by April 1.

The Courier Times and its sister paper, The Intelligencer ran a series of articles in May describing the scandalous benefits. They deserve a big pat on the back.

But one suspects the matter would have been quickly forgotten if it wasn’t for the growth of certain ornery constituent groups whose loyalty lies with issues rather than an established party.

Health benefits for about 900 Senate employees cost  $16.8 million last year.

Under indemnity plans,  the insured can see any doctor who accepts the insurance and all expenses are covered after a deductible is reached.

They are almost non-existent in the private sector now.

 

Pennsylvania Senate Changes Health Plan

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