House Panel Approves Health Benefit Change

The Associated Press reports that a divided state House committee today passed legislation opposed by state employees that would recalculate their health benefit allowance and end the practice of letting state workers receive cash for portions of the allowance they do not spend on insurance.

But the measure's author, Rep. Ron Peterson, R-Broken Arrow, said he will not allow the measure to go forward unless it is accompanied by a compensation package that will funnel any savings produced by the plan back to state workers to supplement their income.

"It will be hand-in-hand with compensation," Peterson said. "There's a real opportunity for a win-win situation here. I think there are some savings to be had."

The measure, approved 11-6 by the House Economic Development and Financial Services Committee, would change guidelines that permit state workers to receive cash for portions of their state-paid health benefit allowance they do not spend on an insurance plan.

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