The State Health Benefits Program Plan Design Committee met on Wednesday for the regularly scheduled meeting and discussed the following items:
- Potential increase in the contribution amount for High Deductible Health Plans to comply with recent guidance from the Internal Revenue Service.
- Review and discussion of the Annual Resolutions from OptumRx regarding the cost impact of changes to the premium formulary.
- Brief mention that the Reference Based Pricing Subgroup and the Special Pharmacy Subgroup met and that they are digesting information provided to them.
The State Health Benefits Commission is scheduled to meet in July over two meetings for the Annual Rate Renewal Meetings. There was no discussion of potential proposed increases facing state and local governments for Plan Year 2024, nor any mention of potential assistance to help local governments with their costs in Plan Year 2023.
Last week, during budget testimony, the State Treasury Department requested an additional $33.6 million appropriation in the FY24 state budget for state workers' health care costs due to an increase in the cost of prescription drugs. The appropriation request did not include local governments. The Office of Legislative Services noted that 28 local government employers have left or are planning to leave the State Health Benefits Program this year, including large municipalities that represent more than 10% of local government members.
We encourage you to share this information with your municipal professionals and urge your legislators to help municipalities solve this problem that is adversely affecting municipal budgets.
Contact: Paul Penna, Senior Legislative Analyst, ppenna@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x110.