Drastic premium increases – Action needed!

Your health insurance costs are going up unless we act together to stop it. We call on all HPAE negotiations unit employees to Call the Governor to say “No” to health insurance cost increases!!

The NJ State Health Benefits Commission received a preliminary recommendation to increase premiums for state and local government health benefits plans by approximately 21% starting in 2023. These are preliminary recommendations; no final rates have been set yet. The recommendations and the data on which they are based are under close review now.

Obviously, this is a huge increase in premiums that would affect both member contributions and employer costs. An average member could possibly see an increase in health insurance cost between $600-$1000 per year. Allegedly these increases are based on a “projection” of future costs of increased insurance plan usage after the 2020 COVID lockdowns.

Despite the State surplus over the past fiscal year and the amount of Federal aid that has come to NJ, Horizon and the Governor’s office is proposing to increase your health insurance simply because our members are using the benefits they already pay into.

HPAE is deeply engaged on this. We are in the process of analyzing all health care data and determining how we fight back against these proposed premium increases. We are asking all HPAE negotiations unit employees to call the Governor’s office and let him know this is unacceptable. Call the Governor using this link.

HPAE will keep you updated as more information becomes available.

In solidarity,

Banita Herndon, President, Local 5089
Marsha Lauriano, Grievance Chair, HPAE Local 5089
Ryan Novosielski, Co-President, HPAE Local 5094
Justin O’Hea, Co-President, HPAE Local 5094
Deborah Cruz, Rowan Chair, Local 5094