Thanks to the pressure of public employees and workers across Massachusetts, Governor Healy is no longer calling for a change in the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) that would shift more costs onto workers. This is a win for all the public employees, family members, and retirees who would have been adversely impacted by the proposed cuts.
The previously recommended cuts would have shifted more costs onto public employees who are covered by the GIC. Higher copays and deductibles were central to the proposed changes and would have increased healthcare costs for around 460,000 people who are under GIC coverage. With the price of healthcare already being so volatile for working people nationwide, the withdrawal of the increased costs is an achievement for the working class agenda.
This win underscores the importance of public sector unionism and the power of working people to advocate for their wellbeing. The organization of public employees helped them mount a successful challenge to the proposed increases to their healthcare costs.
To learn more, read statements from the Massachusetts Teachers Association