Seventy-five to 80 part-time state employees have dropped health insurance since November, when the state sharply increased the costs for part-timers, state Department of Administration official Teresa Luna just told the Senate Commerce Committee. The panel is questioning her about a series of rule changes, including the one that increased premiums for family coverage from $103 a month to either $244 or $385 for part-timers, depending on how many hours they work. Sen. Nicole LeFavour, D-Boise, asked Luna, "Have you calculated the possible increasing cost to the county indigent fund" to cover those workers once they're uninsured. Luna responded, "No, we did not do those calculations." She said the state is saving $2.7 million this year and an estimated $5 million next year by raising the premiums for part-timers. Sen. John Andreason, R-Boise, asked, "Where are the savings actually coming from? ... I think you just told us it would come from the ... part-time workers. Is that correct?" Luna said that's right. "Yes, those are the savings to the state, and being incurred by the part-timers."

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