State workers’ cost to climb

The current proposal for altering the percentage state employees pay for health care would change the ratio from the state paying 88 percent and employees paying 12 percent to the state paying 70 percent and employees paying 30 percent. This triples the amount paid through a state employee’s paycheck. Additionally, there would be a $3,000 deductible per person, with a $7,500 maximum per family.

It is mandatory for state employees to have health insurance. They are unable to simply “opt out” of skyrocketing premiums, unless they can prove they are covered by a spouse’s insurance or they have purchased private insurance. For many, neither of these are an option.

This will have an especially negative impact on lower-income state workers such as housekeepers, laundry workers, cooks, etc. This will affect their ability to spend money in the community.

According to Gov. Gregoire, “state employees will have cards that say they have insurance, and as a practical matter they will have none.”

Sola Raynor

Spokane