By: Gary Fineout and Carol Gentry
Source: Health News Florida
If highly paid state employees contributed to health insurance premiums at the same rate as lower-paid rank-and-file workers, the state would save $45 million in the coming year.
And if that $45 million were applied to the Healthy Kids program, it would draw down federal match to total $143 million – enough to cover 75,000 uninsured children. Florida has one of the highest rates of uninsured children in the country.
But during budget discussions last weekend, lawmakers gave no serious thought to abolishing free health insurance for 26,000 state workers, the top state senator on budget negotiations said.
Why? Because lawmakers wanted to keep their own free health insurance, Sen. J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales, said. “Aside from me and one or two others,” he said, the idea was not well-received. Senate Democratic leader Al Lawson of Tallahassee was one of the few who voiced support.
