PAGE Statement
on State Merit Health Program
PAGE is fully cognizant of the challenging financial environment currently facing health care benefit programs across the nation. We are also well aware of the impact of state revenue decreases which have only recently begun to show positive growth.
However, we also know that many Georgia educators hit with a double digit premium increase and no salary increase are working this school year for less salary than last year. This is not an acceptable situation in the current school year and it would be even less acceptable for further financial harm to hit educators in the 2004-2005 school year.
We believe that educators have borne enough of the health care cost burden already and our organization will oppose further increases in premiums and other costs being passed on to school employees.
We will be working closely with members of the governor’s budget staff, with legislators and with other policy makers to address funding issues which jeopardize this program.
PAGE believes that there are alternative funding approaches which will maintain the financial integrity of the State Merit Health Program, allowing educators and their families to receive the health benefits they rely upon without placing further financial burdens upon those educators. That approach will be the goal of PAGE in the coming months and throughout the upcoming session of the General Assembly.