Health

Officials Warn of $34M Budget Gap as Bryan Pushes for Self-Funded Health Insurance for Government Workers

Ahead of a special legislative session scheduled for Friday, Governor Albert Bryan Jr.’s proposal to explore a self-funded health insurance model for government employees and retirees was reintroduced to the public during a panel discussion earlier this week. Presenting the proposal were Director of Property and Procurement Cindy Richardson, Finance Commissioner Kevin McCurdy, and Diabetes Center of Excellence Executive Director Dr. Julia Sheen, joined by Clint Ferris, the Governor's policy advisor for health, hospitals, and human services. Senators are being asked to authorize the formation of a special committee that would examine the viability of shifting from the current fully-funded insurance model to a self-funded structure. Currently, “the government is paying a fixed monthly premium to the insurance carriers, regardless of how many claims are filed,” explained Director Richardson. “Even if the claims are low, the cost remains the same. And if the claims exceed expectations, ...