House Bill 184 was filed this week, giving in to hospital executives’ demands for the General Assembly to pump the brakes on the Clear Pricing Project
Sponsored by 25 representatives in the House HB184 sets up a study committee to look at the needs and the plan design of the State Health Plan
The bill also prohibits reference-based pricing until 2022 meaning plan members will continue to overpay for services and taxpayers will be charged nearly $1 million a day while they study the Plan
We need you to contact the bill sponsors and your legislators and tell them its time to put working families over corporate interests
Governor Cooper sided with the hospitals last week, echoing the call to delay implementation of the Clear Pricing Project Tell Gov Cooper the time is now to save our State Health Plan Let him know that state employees and retirees have overpaid for too long and attempts to delay the Clear Pricing Project only allow hospital executives to keep patients in the dark about the true cost of their care
We dont need to slow down hospitals need to hurry up
Take action now to let Gov Cooper and your legislators know that the Clear Pricing Project is the clear choice for state employees, retirees and taxpayers
Council of State to decide DMV headquarters' fate this week
On Tuesday the Council of State will make its final decision on the proposed DMV headquarters move to Rocky Mount Both SEANC lobbyists and members will be on hand to remind the Council of State that the decision has real-life consequences for the workers there
It will also negatively affect taxpayers who live west of Raleigh who will have to drive an extra hour to do business with the DMVheadquarters.
ANews &Observer story this week highlighted the flooding issues at the Rocky Mount site that has been selected SEANC Executive Director Robert Broome told the paper that the flooding problems should be a disqualifier for the move
Im very concerned about the state taking on that level of risk for a campus that is supposed to house the headquarters of a state agency said Broome I think this risk should not be downplayed and should in fact be a disqualifier for this location
If you havent already please take a few minutes to call the Council of State members to tell them to keep the DMVheadquarters in Raleigh
Friday,March8,2019
Republicans: Cooper's budget deadonarrival
Republican leaders quickly dismissed Gov Roy Coopers proposed budget Wednesday saying it was not a serious budget proposal Legislators will soon begin crafting their own spending plan which is expected to look notably different from the governors version
SEANC looks forward to working with the General Assembly and the administration to get the best deal for state employees and retirees.
Coopers proposal included the following provisions regarding state employees and retirees:
a pay raise of 1 5%or $500 (whichever is greater) for all state employees.
five extra days of special annual leave
an additional $500 increase for non-certified school personnel including teaching assistants, custodians and bus drivers.
an additional $500 increase for nearly 37 000 law enforcement officers and institutional employees in the Departments of Public Safety and Health and Human Services. a one-time 2%bonus for retirees.
$12 million for facility upgrades and safety improvements at the states prisons.
Share your healthcare stories withus
The Clear Pricing Project made national headlines this week when a prominent healthcare media outlet Modern Healthcare took an in-depth look at the issue The article pointed out that North Carolina hospitals are five times more profitable than the national average
One expert said N C hospitals are used to a gravy train while another said it is absolutely” possible for the states hospitals to make it on the Treasurers plan of reimbursing rates of Medicare plus 77 percent
Legislators and hospital lobbyists are both claiming to speak on behalf of state employees in this fight but no one is allowing state employees and retirees to speak for themselves.
We need to hear from you Please take a minute to share your story with us.
We can win this fight but we cant allow hospital executives to dominate the narrative about our care Together we can stand up and save our State Health Plan for state employees, retirees and our families.
Shareyourstory
Council of State approves lease for DMV move
Despite fierce opposition from SEANC members and legislators, the Council of State approved a lease proposal that could result in the Division of Motor Vehicles headquarters being moved from Raleigh to Rocky Mount
The Council of State passed the measure on Tuesday without any discussion or debate
Although Gov Cooper had previously delayed a vote so the Council could learn more about how DMVwould assist employees, no details about worker assistance were shared in the meeting
The General Assembly must agree to fund the lease before the headquarters move can be finalized Legislation is pending that would require DMVto issue a new request for proposals.
Following the vote SEANC Executive Director Robert Broome told the News &Observer that the Council of State had shown disrespect and disregard for DMVworkers. They have turned the lives of some 400 employees completely upside down Broome said It is profoundly disappointing
Other items of note
The N C Court of Appeals said Tuesday that state retirees are not exempt from paying premiums on their health care Retired state employees are promised nothing more than equal access to health care benefits on an equal basis with active state employees, Judge John Tyson wrote in the ruling for himself and Judges Wanda Bryant and Robert Hunter
The first meeting of the N C Senates Select Committee on Prison Safety will be held Monday at 1 p m Sen Bob Steinburg (R-Chowan) chairs the committee which will consider recommendations from SEANCs prison reform report issued in January
Friday March8 2019
reimbursements for ruralhealthcare
State Treasurer Dale Folwell announced this week that the State Health Plan would increase the annual reimbursement rates for rural hospitals by 20 percent as part of the Clear Pricing Project
This adjustment means that the Plan will pay an additional $52 million for health care in North Carolinas rural communities.
Hospital executives have claimed that the Clear Pricing Projects strategy of reimbursing care at 177 percent of Medicare rates would shortchange rural hospitals and cause them to close Folwells revised approach would raise the reimbursements to 218 percent
This concession was still not enough for the greedy hospital lobby which dismissed the increase as a waste of tax dollars. It was a bizarre argument to make considering that the Clear Pricing Project would still save taxpayers $258 million annually and reduce outof-pocket costs for plan members by $57 million per year
Hospitals are pushing a bill HB184 that would put a stop to the Clear Pricing Project and keep Treasurer Folwell from doing his job We cannot afford to let them continue overcharging us for our health care Take action today and tell your legislators to oppose HB184 and let the Treasurer do the job he was elected to do
Billfiledtoextend $15/hour minimum salary
One of SEANCs policy priorities for this year is to broaden the state employee minimum salary of $15 per hour to include non-certified school personnel Our lobbying efforts resulted in the filing this week of HB359 which would raise the pay for tens of thousands of custodians, bus drivers, cafeteria workers and others.
The bill has broad bipartisan support and is sponsored by Reps. Terence Everitt (DWake) John Hardister (R-Guilford) Rena Turner (R- Iredell) and House Minority Leader Darren Jackson (D-Wake) More than 20 representatives from both sides of the aisle have signed on as co-sponsors.
Now comes the hard part – getting the bill passed If youre a SEANC member who knows a non-certified school employee that hasnt joined SEANC tell them the importance of standing with us on this bill Ask them to join SEANC today!
Drewery speaks at Senate prison reform meeting
SEANC Past President Stanley Drewery was among the first to present to the newly formed Senate Select Committee on Prison Safety that held its first meeting this week Drewery told the committee that after the deaths of five state employees at the hands of inmates in 2017 he has seen a marked change in the attitudes of officers on the job who are now in fear for their lives.
Something really has to be done because we are losing a lot of really good people he said As soon as they get the opportunity to retire they are heading out the door They would stay on if they were making the money that was promised to them
SEANC Government Relations Director Ardis Watkins also spoke to the committee The committees chairman Sen Bob Steinburg (R-Chowan) has been a staunch advocate for prison safety and supporter of SEANCs efforts to give the employees on the ground a voice in reform
Creation of the committee comes on the heels of SEANCs release of From the Inside a report detailing recommendations collected from hundreds of comments from correctional personnel
DMV lobby day planned for Monday
The Council of State voted last week to approve a lease to move the Division of Motor
Vehicles’ headquarters to Rocky Mount but SEANC continues to work with lawmakers on a solution that will keep the DMVin Raleigh
The General Assembly must agree to fund the lease before the headquarters move can be finalized Legislation is pending that would require DMVto issue a new request for proposals.
SEANC District 43 which includes the headquarters, has planned a Lobby Day effort for Monday March 18 beginning at 5 p m at the General Assembly All members are encouraged to attend and support these employees.
Friday March29 2019
HouseBill 184clearedtheHouseHealthCommitteeonTuesday andwe expectittobevotedonbytheHousenextweek.Thisbadbill will costthestate morethan$13billionforthenexttwoyears.
Wecankissgoodbyeanyhopeofapayraiseoracost-of-livingadjustment forretireesbecausethelegislaturewill needtospendthatmoneyonourhealth care Whatsmore ourpremiumsarelikelytoskyrocketaswell
