The Senate Panel voted on a proposal that Florida lawmakers should increase the amount of premiums they pay for their Florida health insurance plans. The proposal wants all 160 members of the Legislature to pay the same health coverage premiums as other state workers.
As of this moment, Florida lawmakers only pay $8.34 per month for individual healthcare plans and $30 a month for family health coverage plans. As for rank and file state workers, they have to pay a monthly premium of $50 for individual coverage and $180 per month for family coverage.
Florida Health Insurance Premiums Paid By Lawmakers Should Be Equal
For Senator Joe Negron, he wants the lawmakers in Florida to pay as much for their health care as their employees do. However, the majority of the Senate Budget Committee is strongly opposed to Negron's amendment to increase the monthly premiums that they pay for health care. The Budget Committee decided not to eliminate the outrageous FL health insurance perk.
Negron filed an amendment that would have significantly increased the monthly health care premiums of legislators from $8.34 to $50 for individual coverage and $30 to $180 a month for family coverage. If Negron succeeded, it would have brought lawmakers' health coverage premiums equal to what other state workers are paying.
Negron said we should all be treated equally whether you're a lawmaker or a regular state worker. He argued that he just couldn't get the point across that their workers shouldn't pay more than what they are paying. "Legislators shouldn't have richer benefits than the people that we work with," he said.
However, no matter how much Negron argued, his Republican colleagues just didn't agree with him. For other lawmakers, the cost of staying in office has increased and the insurance perk that they are receiving is meant for them to have because of the demanding and arduous tasks that they receive every day that pays no more than $30,000. Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, even called Negron's amendment a "political statement" that could discourage Florida residents who aren't rich to run for office.
Negron countered that it wasn't a political statement. He said that a $180 monthly premium for a family Florida health insurance plan is already a great deal because it can reach about $500 a month if obtained in the private sector. He doesn't seem to understand why lawmakers should be treated five to six times better than their other 27,000 state co-workers. "We're saying legislators should lead by example...we're not entitled to preferential.
As of this moment, Florida lawmakers only pay $8.34 per month for individual healthcare plans and $30 a month for family health coverage plans. As for rank and file state workers, they have to pay a monthly premium of $50 for individual coverage and $180 per month for family coverage.
Florida Health Insurance Premiums Paid By Lawmakers Should Be Equal
For Senator Joe Negron, he wants the lawmakers in Florida to pay as much for their health care as their employees do. However, the majority of the Senate Budget Committee is strongly opposed to Negron's amendment to increase the monthly premiums that they pay for health care. The Budget Committee decided not to eliminate the outrageous FL health insurance perk.
Negron filed an amendment that would have significantly increased the monthly health care premiums of legislators from $8.34 to $50 for individual coverage and $30 to $180 a month for family coverage. If Negron succeeded, it would have brought lawmakers' health coverage premiums equal to what other state workers are paying.
Negron said we should all be treated equally whether you're a lawmaker or a regular state worker. He argued that he just couldn't get the point across that their workers shouldn't pay more than what they are paying. "Legislators shouldn't have richer benefits than the people that we work with," he said.
However, no matter how much Negron argued, his Republican colleagues just didn't agree with him. For other lawmakers, the cost of staying in office has increased and the insurance perk that they are receiving is meant for them to have because of the demanding and arduous tasks that they receive every day that pays no more than $30,000. Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, even called Negron's amendment a "political statement" that could discourage Florida residents who aren't rich to run for office.
Negron countered that it wasn't a political statement. He said that a $180 monthly premium for a family Florida health insurance plan is already a great deal because it can reach about $500 a month if obtained in the private sector. He doesn't seem to understand why lawmakers should be treated five to six times better than their other 27,000 state co-workers. "We're saying legislators should lead by example...we're not entitled to preferential.
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