In an amazing role reversal, the former head of a free-market think tank now thinks socialism is the way to go. At a hearing on House Bill 1729, Administrative Services Commissioner Charlie Arlinghaus said that retired state employees should be required to stick with the state’s self-insurance rather than being allowed to select other group health plans.
In past years, state employees were promised free health coverage after they retired. As costs rose, retirees were required to pay their Medicare premiums, then those not on Medicare had to pay a portion of the cost (now 20 percent). Last year, those on Medicare were required to pay 10 percent of the state’s cost even though Gov. Chris Sununu claimed there would be no new or increased taxes or fees. This was particularly bad as those it hit had already retired, hence couldn’t follow the customary advice to stay at work a couple years longer if your projected retirement cost goes up.
Arlinghaus says that if healthier employees choose cheaper options, the state will be left with the old and sick. What he doesn’t seem to understand is that the premium already costs some retirees 25 percent or more of their pension, and when their pension stays the same as premiums rise, the old will inevitably be priced out. If he would split the drug plan from the medical plan like the city of Concord did, poorer recipients could get federal aid to buy drugs, which they can’t with a combined plan. Hopefully the Josiah Bartlett Center will look into this government foolishness.
ROY SCHWEIKER
Concord