A Lesson in Health Insurance
You would be forgiven for thinking that our nation's educators have a good deal on health insurance. After all, it's generally accepted that teaching is not exactly the highest paid profession, so maybe there are some good benefits that motivate them to come into school every day? Apparently that's not the case in Arkansas where teachers pay twice the national average for health insurance (Arkansas News Bureau April 10, 2008).
Across the country teachers often find themselves battling for higher wages. Increases are sometimes granted, but often in exchange for teachers having to bear a larger percentage of their health insurance costs. On other occasions states agree to maintain their same share of medical insurance costs, but with no extra pay for the recipients. And yet more end up with no health insurance at all.
Far From Peachy
Teachers in Georgia face a different dilemma this year. They currently have health insurance through one of three insurers, two of which are being given the axe, replaced by only one new insurer. (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, May 22, 2008) The result, more than 700,000 teachers, state employees and their plan members will have to review the new plans being offered, decide whether to switch, or do as an increasing number in the profession are doing, by opting out from their school-sponsored health insurance altogether.
No Small Potatoes
Idaho teachers are no different. Low pay and soaring health insurance costs cause many to take on additional jobs, or follow a growing trend... move to Wyoming!! (The Olympian, May 17, 2008) As drastic as it may seem, Wyoming offers many advantages teachers in other states could only dream of. With a bigger budget for education, Wyoming's teachers can expect full coverage for both their health insurance costs and retirement plans.
If Wyoming seems too remote, teachers may want to try Texas. Five years ago, the Texas health insurance plan for teachers was launched in the hope of saving teaching jobs in the smallest school districts. So successful was the initiative, it has rapidly evolved into one of the biggest programs in the state, signing up nearly 90% of districts and 335,000 of their employees and dependents. (Houston Chronicle, May 26, 2008) The plan, which has not seen an increase in premiums over the last three years, is expected to be adopted statewide in the near future due to its popularity and significant cost advantages.
Join the Cheerleading Team?
Texas and Wyoming would seem to be the cream of the crop for teachers that actually have affordable health insurance. For the rest of the country though, the conflict of spiraling health insurance costs and over-extended school budgets leaves many teachers with a lot more homework than they would like.
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