Study of Public School District Health Care Plans
Pursuant to Senate Resolution 250, the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee requires a contractor to conduct a study to determine the feasibility and cost effectiveness of merging public school districts under the same group health benefits package, which includes medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug programs. The study is to include: 1. A detailed analysis of the specific health benefits, policies, and contracts currently provided or operated by at least 50% of the school entities throughout this Commonwealth, the premium costs related thereto, and the pattern of growth in these costs; 2. Cost of current benefits for the next five years; 3. Cost of current school employee contribution or average per employee; 4. Impact on the Public School Employees' Retirement System and State Employees' Retirement System; 5. Comparison of coverage with average taxpayer in the relevant region; 6. Regionalization versus one health care plan; 7. Cost savings realized with consortiums compared to prior consortiums, 8. Administrative, staffing, and technology costs associated with forming mergers; 9. Comparison of school employees versus Commonwealth employees; 10. Cost of least used benefits by school employees; and 11. Cost impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148, 124 Stat. 119).
