No public comment is allowed at the State Employees Health Plan Task Force

I attend the State Employees Health Plan Task Force meeting yesterday from 10:00 to 12:00 at Buena Vista, the place was packed. This is the 2nd meeting of the task force. Ann Visalli was getting ready to adjourn the meeting. I asked if there would be public comment period and  Ms. Visalli answered me with a “no”.  Ann Visalli stated that public comment could be made by email (Suggestions Mailbox which is not working) or through the Public Testimony Meetings and those meetings have ended.

As a State Representative, I was not allowed to make a public comment at the end of the meeting.

I attended one of the Public Testimony Meetings and all they give you is a brief overview of the purpose and objective of the State Employees Health Plan Task Force. The real discussion is taking place during the task force meetings, the public should be allowed to make a public comment.

They had four Public Testimony Meetings that have already taken place and a total of 16 members of the public commented at these Public Testimony Meetings. The state has about 35,000 employees. There could be significant changes and these meetings are taking place during the day when most state employees are working.

State Employees Health Plan Task Force Info from Meeting #2

This task force was created in House Bill 225 Section 74 of the budget bill. At the 2nd meeting two presentations were given, the first presentation was a trend driver analysis of active and early retirees and medicare retirees. High Cost Claimants and prescription drug prices are driving the trend in the active and early retirees analysis and prescription drug cost was the driving trend in the medicare retirees analysis.

The second presentation was on finding cost savings and inefficiencies.

The next meeting will be October 8, 2015 – Tatnall Building – Conference Room 112 – Dover 1:00 to 3:00.