LATEST GIC PLAN FOR PREMIUMS "KIND OF UNHEARD OF"

LATEST GIC PLAN FOR PREMIUMS "KIND OF UNHEARD OF" 

[Coverage Developing] About half the enrollees in the Group Insurance Commission will see a decrease in their premiums in fiscal 2019 and on average there will be zero increase in premiums, GIC Executive Director Roberta Herman said Thursday. "This is kind of unheard of," Herman told the GIC board Thursday. She said, "This is not something that you should expect to see year after year." The GIC had a goal of premiums increasing by 2 percent in fiscal 2019. Some enrollees will see an increase. Those enrolled in Tufts Medicare Preferred will see a year-over-year increase of 10.3 percent on July 1, according to Herman. - Andy Metzger/SHNS

GIC TO REPAIR RELATIONS WITH HELP OF FORMER GOP CANDIDATE 

Lawmakers "were not shy" in recent meetings about telling officials from the Group Insurance Commission how they could improve their relationship with the Legislature, GIC Executive Director Roberta Herman said on Thursday. The GIC needs to "double or redouble" its efforts to build relationships with lawmakers and their staff, according to Herman, who said Mike Berry, the GIC's legislative director, will take on that task. A former Walpole selectman, Berry was previously legislative director for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, an aide to Rep. Jay Barrows and former Rep. Virginia Coppola, public affairs director at Associated Builders and Contractors, and executive aide to the mayor of Marlborough, Republican Arthur Vigeant. Last year, Berry ran for state Senate as a Republican in the special election won by Sen. Paul Feeney of Foxborough. The commission manages insurance for public employees and retirees, and its decision this year to cut its offerings of health plans surprised and frustrated union leaders and lawmakers. The commission on Feb. 1 reversed course, adding back the plans that had been scrapped. Herman updated the commission on legislative meetings at the start of Thursday's GIC meeting. GIC officials have already met with House Majority Leader Ron Mariano, Senate Ways and Means Chairwoman Karen Spilka, and Health Care Financing Senate Chairman James Welch, according to the commission. The meetings were cordial and frank, according to Herman. There are meetings planned with Sen. Cindy Friedman and Sen. Feeney. Friedman filed a bill with Feeney that would require the GIC to give the Legislature 90 days notice before making major insurance changes. - Andy Metzger/SHNS