Whole vs Term

In a public hearing held at Tamarack last Tuesday night, it was very clear that the public is against the proposed premium increases and benefit cuts in PEIA coverage. Over a hundred people came out to speak up their distress over the proposed policy changes, which is to increase annual deductibles by $50 and raise out-of-pocket maximums by an average of $1,500 annually.

Delegates Rick Moye, D-Raleigh, Linda Sumner, R-Raleigh, and Sally Susman sat among the common people all through out the hearing. Unfortunately seven of the PEIA’s nine finance board members were missing in action. Chairman Robert Ferguson and Joshua Sword were the only two in attendance and this cause another tense situation in the already stressful assembly.

“I’m disappointed to point out tonight that there are only two of the nine board members in attendance,” Sword told the audience. “How can finance board members take public comment into consideration for their decision of what the plan’s going to be when they come back and vote in December if they’re not in the public hearings? It’s very disappointing to me,” Sword added.

West Virginia Education Association President Dale Lee was present in the meeting as well. With his part, he intensely insinuated that the 4 percent premium increase, in addition to a 5 percent cut in benefits is just wrong.

“You’re reducing the salaries of some of the lowest paid employees in the nation. You should be ashamed,” Lee asserted with reference to the proposed PEIA changes.