Introduced by Sen. Bruce Caswell R-Hillsdale on September 25, 2013
To increase from $11,000 to $13,455 the “hard cap” on the amount that a local government or school district can spend for an "individual-plus-spouse" employee health care policy under a 2011 law limiting such benefits. The Senate Fiscal Agency reports this will increase state costs by $19.4 million annually; since there are seven-times more school and local employees than state employees the total cost to taxpayers could be much higher. The bill would also include “individual-plus-one nonspouse-dependent” coverage under $15,000 "family" policy cap, include elected officials in the base used to establish a local government’s “average” cost per employee, exclude payments to employees who take cash instead of insurance benefits, and revise some other details in ways that permit making the overall benefits more generous. Official Text and Analysis.
Referred to the Senate Reforms, Restructuring and Reinventing Committee on September 25, 2013
Reported in the Senate on October 3, 2013
With the recommendation that the bill pass.
Amendment offered in the Senate on October 8, 2013
To exclude from the cost-cap formula any payments the state, a school district or a local government must make under the federal health care law (Obamacare). This would have the effect of allowing more generous benefits than if these extra payments were included in the formula.
The amendment passed by voice vote in the Senate on October 8, 2013
To increase from $11,000 to $12,250 the “hard cap” on the amount that a local government or school district can spend for an "individual-plus-spouse" employee health care policy under a 2011 law limiting such benefits.