Wisconsin teachers, unions and Heatlh Care insurance

[hypocritexposer]

Here's how I understand what is going on...

....collective bargaining is a way that the Teacher's Union is stealing taxpayer dollars by mandating a high-cost health plan that is owned by the union

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Here are a few simple, startling facts for anyone concerned about the financial condition of Wisconsin public schools:

WEA Trust, an insurance company established and closely associated with the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC), siphons millions of crucial dollars from K-12 schools and their students every year.

WEA Trust has grown very fat on public school dollars, with a net worth of $316 million and a team of 12 administrators all receiving compensation packages worth six figures per year.

Sadly, this insurance swindle is endorsed by state law.

We at Education Action Group believe it's time for the citizens of Wisconsin to demand that their school boards be allowed to freely shop for less expensive employee health insurance.

That's particularly important in the current economic environment, when schools have been forced to lay off teachers, curtail student programs, privatize services and, in some districts, seek permission from voters to exceed their local revenue caps.

The problem is state law, which makes the identity of a school district's employee health insurance carrier a topic of collective bargaining. That means school boards and local school employee unions must agree on the insurance company that will provide health coverage.

So most unions have traditionally come to the negotiating table demanding expensive WEA Trust insurance coverage, and the strategy has been effective. About 64 percent of Wisconsin's 426 districts carry WEA Trust insurance, despite its prohibitive costs.


Why do union employees demand WEA Trust coverage?

continued....

http://www.publicschoolspending.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/WEA-Trust-final-report.pdf

 

[TSR]

Here's how I understand what is going on...

....collective bargaining is a way that the Teacher's Union is stealing taxpayer dollars by mandating a high-cost health plan that is owned by the union

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Here are a few simple, startling facts for anyone concerned about the financial condition of Wisconsin public schools:

WEA Trust, an insurance company established and closely associated with the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC), siphons millions of crucial dollars from K-12 schools and their students every year.

WEA Trust has grown very fat on public school dollars, with a net worth of $316 million and a team of 12 administrators all receiving compensation packages worth six figures per year.

Sadly, this insurance swindle is endorsed by state law.

We at Education Action Group believe it's time for the citizens of Wisconsin to demand that their school boards be allowed to freely shop for less expensive employee health insurance.

That's particularly important in the current economic environment, when schools have been forced to lay off teachers, curtail student programs, privatize services and, in some districts, seek permission from voters to exceed their local revenue caps.

The problem is state law, which makes the identity of a school district's employee health insurance carrier a topic of collective bargaining. That means school boards and local school employee unions must agree on the insurance company that will provide health coverage.

So most unions have traditionally come to the negotiating table demanding expensive WEA Trust insurance coverage, and the strategy has been effective. About 64 percent of Wisconsin's 426 districts carry WEA Trust insurance, despite its prohibitive costs.


Why do union employees demand WEA Trust coverage?

continued....

http://www.publicschoolspending.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/WEA-Trust-final-report.pdf

I'm not defending WEA, but to really evaluate the insurance, you would have to see the costs and benefits of WEA insurance and its competition.

 

[hypocritexposer]

I'm not defending WEA, but to really evaluate the insurance, you would have to see the costs and benefits of WEA insurance and its competition.

Did you check out the report TSR, they have costs listed, but I didn't see much of a comparison in services or coverage, but I would think that these guys did their homework. I'll dig deeper.

WEA Trust offers what is commonly known as the "Cadillac" of school employee health coverage. It earned that moniker for two very good reasons - the health coverage is very thorough, and the cost to local school districts is very high.

Various estimates claim that Wisconsin public schools could save anywhere between $68 million and $143 million per year if school districts could freely move away from WEA Trust.

I was just thinking that I had heard a story like this before and it just came to me, MESSA. I think it was Detroit, and by switching they saved $3800/ insured/year.

 

[hypocritexposer]

TSR, I went back and read a bit more of the report, some interesting tidbits in it.

Quite a few of the school districts have tried to switch insurance carriers, to save money, and due to collective bargaining were told "no" by the unions

In 2009, the Iowa-Grant school district, facing a $450,000 budget deficit, proposed switching from WEA Trust to another insurance carrier known for decent coverage and far lower rates, according to an online arbitration document. District officials noted that the monthly family
premium under various WEA Trust plans had risen from $751 in 2000 to $1,656 by 2009.

Iowa-Grant said the other company offered a family rate of $1,365, which would represent a 20 percent reduction, and similar rates for single coverage.

District officials also noted that they had taken major steps to cut other costs, including closing five satellite schools, privatizing bus-driving jobs, reducing the number of bus routes, selling its entire fleet of buses, freezing salaries for administrators and seeking a partnership
with three neighboring districts to secure less expensive insurance for non-union employees. But the local union still insisted on having WEA coverage, and the negotiation stalemate went to arbitration. The
arbitrator ruled in favor of the district's final offer, which included implementation of the less expensive health insurance plan. (7)

 

[hypocritexposer]

Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker has proposed a bill which would have school districts optionally join the state employees' health insurance plan.[9] Walker says the bill would save $68 million a year for Wisconsin school districts, and $224 million for local governments.[9] WEAC is against the bill and said that it would fight its implementation.[9]

n April, the Landmark Legal Foundation asked federal officials to investigate its claim that WEAC failed to report or pay taxes on $430,000 in contributions to the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee between 2000 and 2002 in apparent violation of federal law.

The Wisconsin Education Association Council has voluntarily made $171,091 in payments to the Internal Revenue Service after a review of past federal tax returns, the state's largest teachers union said Wednesday.

http://biggovernment.com/driehl/2011/02/23/tax-scofflaw-pro-union-wi-ed-assoc-weac-corrupt/

 

[Tam]

According to some WALKER supporters alot of this issue comes on the backs of the Dems. They controled the State government and for over a year did nothing to take this issue off the table before the Republicans were voted into office to clean up the State finances. I my opinion they didn't want to give their Union buddies the bad news and decided to let the Republicans be the fall guys.

The pathetic Dems that have left the state claim they only wanted to slow down the process and allow everyone to become aware of the cuts Walker was planning. :roll: According to Walker he spent two years campaigning on his plan so I'm sure the State citizens that this effects knew but my guess is Trumpka and Obama would not have been paying attention without the National media coverage their actions got :wink:

Did they leave the State to slow down the process of adding a billion dollars to the WI budget when their governed the State? NO as they didn't care if the Tax payers knew about that economy busting act.

BUT they pack their bags when the Republicans do what they campaigned on doing which is cutting the budget and saving the State from Bankrupcy. WHY? my guess is so they could give Obama's guys time to organize a huge protest and their Union thugs could issue a few threats on the Republicans families. :x So much for the Dems WE WON WE WRITE THE BILL SO SUCK IT UP AND LIVE WITH IT attitude. :roll:

 

[hypocritexposer]

As far as budget, yes, that is what I have read too, Tam.

In regards to the issue of Health Ins. and WEA Trust and WEAC it goes back further

Mark Levin on his show last night was explaining that the Legal foundation he works with found that back in 2001/02 there were financial issues between the Education Assoc. and the union owned Insurance company.

As we all know, there is a lot of money involved with health ins. and the union does not want to give it up to.

 

[Tam]

As far as budget, yes, that is what I have read too, Tam.

In regards to the issue of Health Ins. and WEA Trust and WEAC it goes back further

Mark Levin on his show last night was explaining that the Legal foundation he works with found that back in 2001/02 there were financial issues between the Education Assoc. and the union owned Insurance company.

As we all know, there is a lot of money involved with health ins. and the union does not want to give it up to.

And neither do the Dems since most of the Union money is funneled into their campaign accounts. That is why Obama's Campaign Organizers are taking so much interest in what happens in WI. Can't chance the lose of those funds when you are running a billion dollar campaign. Buying Votes and resurrecting the dead is not cheap. :wink:

 

[hypocritexposer]

yes.

actually one of the lawsuits that Levin mentioned was the accounting associated with dues.

If dues are given to political campaigns, they end the 501 C (4) status.

See my post above concerning back taxes owed, because of it.

 

[Tam]

What Walker needs to do is pull the offending part of the budget which according to the Dems is the limiting of barganing powers from the financial part of the Budget. Then put it in a none finance bill so he can pass it without the Dems. After he is done with that pass everything else he wants before they have a chance to get back. If they don't like the bills he passes then they have only themselves to blame for not being IN THE STATE when the vote was legally taken. Once they are back pass the part the Dems claim they were not revolting against. Done deal and the state can move on. If Walker allows the Dems to shut down government because they don't like the results of an election this kind of crap will run through the country like a wildfire with a 50 mile an hour wind pushing it.

 

[TSR]

Here's how I understand what is going on...

....collective bargaining is a way that the Teacher's Union is stealing taxpayer dollars by mandating a high-cost health plan that is owned by the union

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Here are a few simple, startling facts for anyone concerned about the financial condition of Wisconsin public schools:

WEA Trust, an insurance company established and closely associated with the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC), siphons millions of crucial dollars from K-12 schools and their students every year.

WEA Trust has grown very fat on public school dollars, with a net worth of $316 million and a team of 12 administrators all receiving compensation packages worth six figures per year.

Sadly, this insurance swindle is endorsed by state law.

We at Education Action Group believe it's time for the citizens of Wisconsin to demand that their school boards be allowed to freely shop for less expensive employee health insurance.

That's particularly important in the current economic environment, when schools have been forced to lay off teachers, curtail student programs, privatize services and, in some districts, seek permission from voters to exceed their local revenue caps.

The problem is state law, which makes the identity of a school district's employee health insurance carrier a topic of collective bargaining. That means school boards and local school employee unions must agree on the insurance company that will provide health coverage.

So most unions have traditionally come to the negotiating table demanding expensive WEA Trust insurance coverage, and the strategy has been effective. About 64 percent of Wisconsin's 426 districts carry WEA Trust insurance, despite its prohibitive costs.


Why do union employees demand WEA Trust coverage?

continued....

http://www.publicschoolspending.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/WEA-Trust-final-report.pdf

I'm not defending WEA, but to really evaluate the insurance, you would have to see the costs and benefits of WEA insurance and its competition.[/quote

When I read competing plans covered "most" of what WEA covered, thats about all it took. My brother and aunt, both retired teachers commonly complained years ago about any raise they might have forseen being taken care of by an increase in insurance premiums. Oddly, the Wildlife officers covered by the same insurance had no increases. What we see in this article are premium costs ( I got tired of reading after 14 pages) but I don't think most teachers are stupid. If there was as good of a deal for lower costs, who wouldn't take it???

 

[hypocritexposer]

If there was as good of a deal for lower costs, who wouldn't take it???

It depends on the other benefits that are not related to Health Care.

If WEA trust also uses premiums to subsidize the unions political lobbying, then teachers may be willing to pay more for the coverage.

The is also the issue of the taxpayer paying for these cadillac plans, when they can't afford their own insurance.

I can't see what would be wrong with the taxpayer only paying for a reasonable plan and the teachers picking up the difference.

which in essence is what is being proposed, an increase in union members contributions towards their own health care and pensions.

 

[hypocritexposer]

Districts that buy WEA Trust plans average $1,665 a month for family premiums, according to their state association, while those choosing other carriers average $1,466. The difference is greatest where taxpayers cover the whole premium.

Milton was paying $48,301 more in premiums for every month that it couldn't switch from WEA Trust to a pair of plans from Madison-based Dean Health and Janesville-based MercyCare that it said were comparable. The district already had switched its administrative staff, said Nikolay, and while the union objected that the new plans would restrict choices, most teachers already used doctors at Dean or MercyCare clinics, Nikolay noted. "That made it less problematic for a lot of our families."

And it saved a bundle for a district saddled with "bleak local economic conditions," as its arbitration case put it. It is losing students and, thus, state aid. The area is losing population. The district needed to control premiums, and the arbitrator agreed.

The question is why it had to go to arbitration at all. The answer is that in Wisconsin, school districts can't change health carriers – even if they keep benefits the same – without negotiating. And teachers unions have been very partial to keeping WEA Trust.

This may be changing. If unions won't agree to dump WEA Trust plans, a district could always get an arbitrator to side with them. But districts were loath to use arbitration, which they could lose badly, so long as they had the old qualified economic offer law in place.

That guarantee of no arbitration in exchange for a certain compensation hike got killed, however, by Democrats last year.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/111152709.html