Even After New Contribution Levels, State Benefit Packages More Lucrative Than Private Sector Offerings
[Madison, Wisc…] Even after the labor reforms ushered in by Act 10, Wisconsin taxpayers pay more than surrounding states to provide insurance to state employees, according to a new study released today.
The analysis by HCTrends found that even after increasing the state employee premium contribution and making plan changes to reduce costs, Wisconsin taxpayers also continue to pay significantly more to provide these benefits than most private‐sector employers in the greater Milwaukee area.
The study did find that increasing state employee premium contributions and out‐of‐pocket costs did reduce Wisconsin’s health plan costs, which made the state more competitive with surrounding states.
However, state employees here have far more coverage options than their peers in the Midwest.
“Wisconsin offers its state employees more health plan options than any of the other states analyzed,” the report states.“Employees choose among 26 insurance plans that provide coverage based on a statewide uniform benefits plan.”
HCTrends analyzed 2012 state employee health plan benefits in four neighboring states (Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa and Michigan) and compared them with the benefits offered to state employees in Wisconsin. The analysis also compared Wisconsin state employee benefits to those offered to private‐sector employees in southeastern Wisconsin.
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