Municipal Health Care PartnershipNew Britain Would Save $896,758 In Annual Health Insurance Costs
Legislation being pushed by House Majority Leader Chris Donovan (D-Meriden) and New Britain’s legislators in the 2008 session would establish a municipal partnership act giving municipalities the option of covering city and school employees in the state’s health insurance plan.
Donovan unveiled the proposal at a New Britain City Hall press conference last November with support from members of New Britain’s common council, legislators and labor union representatives. He is seeking to build a broad business and labor coalition to secure its passage in the General Assembly.
The “partnership” legislation would allow cities and towns to tap into the State employee pool, allowing municipal employees to join voluntarily. The legislation would reduce costs to municipalities and increase benefits for employees., according to proponents.
Granting municipalities access to state insurance pool is in effect in 24 states and was most recently adopted in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts law, adopted last July, allows municipal employees, councils of government and educational collaboratives to participate. It involved changes to collective bargaining agreements and the formation of coalitions to negotiate enrollment terms for groups of employees. Municipalities in Massachusetts had experienced 13% average annual increases in their health insurance costs over a six-year period, double the increase experienced by the state plan. Donovan says the measure would take advantage of the increased bargaining power and reduce administrative costs associated with a larger pool. Municipal employees will receive the same comprehensive benefit coverage that state employees currently receive.
According to Donovan’s estimates the city of New Britain would save $896,758 to offset property tax increases if the city chose to participate. Cities and towns of all sizes would realize savings, including New Haven, $8,164, 337 and East Hartford, $1,135,789. The partnership legislation also contains a provision to extend the state employee plan on a pilot basis to others in the state to join and take advantage of the large pool as well. “A pilot program for small businesses will allow us to determine how it could work and provide a boost to our local economy at the same time,” Donovan says. To Donovan and other supporters the partnership bill represents a step toward health insurance reform that will also would provide cities and towns with reduce costs-- a line item that has seen double digit increases in recent years.
Donovan unveiled the proposal at a New Britain City Hall press conference last November with support from members of New Britain’s common council, legislators and labor union representatives. He is seeking to build a broad business and labor coalition to secure its passage in the General Assembly.
The “partnership” legislation would allow cities and towns to tap into the State employee pool, allowing municipal employees to join voluntarily. The legislation would reduce costs to municipalities and increase benefits for employees., according to proponents.
Granting municipalities access to state insurance pool is in effect in 24 states and was most recently adopted in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts law, adopted last July, allows municipal employees, councils of government and educational collaboratives to participate. It involved changes to collective bargaining agreements and the formation of coalitions to negotiate enrollment terms for groups of employees. Municipalities in Massachusetts had experienced 13% average annual increases in their health insurance costs over a six-year period, double the increase experienced by the state plan. Donovan says the measure would take advantage of the increased bargaining power and reduce administrative costs associated with a larger pool. Municipal employees will receive the same comprehensive benefit coverage that state employees currently receive.
According to Donovan’s estimates the city of New Britain would save $896,758 to offset property tax increases if the city chose to participate. Cities and towns of all sizes would realize savings, including New Haven, $8,164, 337 and East Hartford, $1,135,789. The partnership legislation also contains a provision to extend the state employee plan on a pilot basis to others in the state to join and take advantage of the large pool as well. “A pilot program for small businesses will allow us to determine how it could work and provide a boost to our local economy at the same time,” Donovan says. To Donovan and other supporters the partnership bill represents a step toward health insurance reform that will also would provide cities and towns with reduce costs-- a line item that has seen double digit increases in recent years.
Town Committee Meets Thursday, 2/21
The Democratic Town Committee will meet Thursday, February 21st for a final meeting of the 2006-2008 term. The meeting will be held at New Britain City Hall, 27 West Main Street in Room 504 at 7 p.m. DTC efforts to register new and unaffiliated voters as Democrats and Justice of the Peace vacancies will be on the agenda. In addition, the 2008 Election Calendar will be shared including the dates of upcoming caucuses and conventions. All Democrats and friends are welcome to attend. The 48-member DTC, elected by the petition process in January, will hold an organizational meeting between March 5th and March 11th for the purpose of electing officers and organizing for the 2008-2010 term. In New Britain the Presidential year ballot includes the election for U.S. Congress, State Senator (6th). State Representative (22nd, 24th, 25th and 26th Districts), Registrar of Voters and Justices of the Peace.
Obama CT Volunteer Focus: Rhode Island, other states with March 4th Primaries
March 4th is the next pivotal multi-state test in the nomination fight between Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and the Connecticut Obama volunteer organization is mobilizing for Get Out The Vote activities elsewhere – including Rhode Island, Vermont, Ohio and Texas. In Rhode Island, CT State Coordinator Val McCall reports that Cranston, Coventry and Warwick are the towns that Connecticut Obama supporters are being asked to “adopt” for phoning, canvassing and campaign activities on the weekend of February 23 and 24 and from February 29th right up through the March 4th primary.
New Britain Area for Obama supporters interested in helping the Rhode Island campaign may contact John McNamara at (860) 827-9469. More information is available at the Connecticut Obama website http://www.ctobama.org/ or http://www.ct.barackobama.com/ .
Obama CT Volunteer Focus: Rhode Island, other states with March 4th Primaries
March 4th is the next pivotal multi-state test in the nomination fight between Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and the Connecticut Obama volunteer organization is mobilizing for Get Out The Vote activities elsewhere – including Rhode Island, Vermont, Ohio and Texas. In Rhode Island, CT State Coordinator Val McCall reports that Cranston, Coventry and Warwick are the towns that Connecticut Obama supporters are being asked to “adopt” for phoning, canvassing and campaign activities on the weekend of February 23 and 24 and from February 29th right up through the March 4th primary.
New Britain Area for Obama supporters interested in helping the Rhode Island campaign may contact John McNamara at (860) 827-9469. More information is available at the Connecticut Obama website http://www.ctobama.org/ or http://www.ct.barackobama.com/ .
