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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' Health Care Commission has made changes that will lead to higher premiums, copayments and some deductibles for state employees as officials try to increase cash reserves for its employee health plan next year.
The commission is made up of five members, including Insurance Commissioner Ken Selzer and Secretary of Administration Sarah Shipman.
The health plan's cash reserves are below a $59 million target and the goal is to increase the funds back to that level over the next two years, according to The Wichita Eagle (http://bit.ly/2aWj4xD ).
The state will increase its employer premium rate by 7 percent and its employee premium rate by about 9 percent.
"The adjustments made by the Health Care Commission will help to ensure a more stable system in the long-term which will allow for more stable benefits for employees," Shipman said. "While no one wants to see costs increase, timely plan design changes, including increased employer contributions, are meant to increase reserves in order to maintain plan solvency into the future."
The Kansas Organization of State Employees has criticized the changes, citing that state workers will pay more and get worse benefits.
The National Business Group on Health released a survey last week projecting that employees of large private companies could expect to see their premiums increase by about 5 percent.
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Information from: The Wichita (Kan.) Eagle, http://www.kansas.com
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