Kansas state employee health insurance costs to rise for thousands in 2017

Health insurance premiums for thousands of state government employees in Kansas would rise under fee schedules developed for 2017, state documents showed Thursday.

The State Employee Health Plan administered by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment is applicable to workers throughout state government and includes people employed at public universities and colleges.

Under basic health policies available through Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas and Aetna, monthly rates for individual policies with low- and high-deductible plans would rise 9 percent. The monthly cost of health insurance for state workers in the employee-and-children plans also would be subject to a 9 percent increase.

Health premiums for employees enrolled in the family plan and the spouse plan options would escalate by 30 percent.

Workers with an employee-only plan would for the first time be required to pay for coverage through Delta Dental at $12 per month.

The cost of vision insurance through the state for these employees would remain flat, said Cassie Sparks, a spokeswoman for the state’s health agency.

“Health care costs and insurance premiums continue to increase across the nation,” Sparks said. “The Kansas Health Care Commission looked at state plan utilization and trends to determine the necessary plan and contribution adjustments necessary for both the employer and the employee.”

Premiums for dental coverage among employees who choose the spouse, children or family options would more or less double.

The new rates would be implemented in January, following the October enrollment period.

The executive director of Kansas Organization of State Employees expressed concern about rate increases at a time when many state workers hadn’t received salary increases.

Rebecca Proctor, executive director of the employee union, said she was hesitant to reach precise conclusions because documents related to adjustment of benefits under the insurance programs weren’t available to her. If benefits were to be enhanced, she said, an argument might be made for price adjustments.

“If coverage is staying the same, this is a slap in the face of employees,” Proctor said.

Documents circulated to state employees indicated enrollment in a plan allowing enrollment of a spouse would be expected to pay $90 more each month in 2017 for coverage in Aetna’s low-deductible option. The monthly cost in 2017 of BCBS’s high-deductible policy for worker and spouse would be $40 more each month.

“When you think about what state employees earn, that’s a huge increase,” Proctor said.

Rates for health insurance policies for full-time workers also increased during the 2016 year.

The state health care commission, which has oversight jurisdiction over health insurance, is scheduled to convene next on Aug. 30.