ASTA News: Board Approves Changes in Rates to Education Employee Health Insurance

posted by: Alix | August 01, 2014, 01:57 PM

Little Rock, AR–Yesterday, the State and Public School Life and Health Insurance Board approved needed changes to the rates of education employee health insurance. A crisis facing all educators in the state, the rate of increase was projected to slash take home pay and jeopardize the state's ability to attract effective teachers and school employees.

The Arkansas State Teachers Association (ASTA) has been at the forefront of this debate since day one. In light of the release, ASTA Executive Director Dr. Michele Ballentine-Linch issued the following statement:

"Teachers and other school employees of Arkansas experienced meaningful progress yesterday. While work still needs to be done, this board solution is a step in the right direction for educational professionalism in Arkansas. We hope this consensus can serve as a reminder that we can balance the needs of our education employees with the pressing needs of our students.

Moving forward, it's evident that our educator health insurance system needs fundamental restructuring to reflect industry best practices. Our educators deserve a solution that stabilizes the system for years to come. While fixes in the past have prolonged the inevitable, we must work together address fixing the system in its entirety. The future of the profession in Arkansas is at stake.

Finally, we're proud that so many ASTA members were instrumental in bringing this issue center stage. Following social media campaigns, face-to-face meetings across the state, and meaningful conversations with all parties, ASTA was honored to represent a respectful voice for classroom teachers and education employees all across Arkansas. Along with ASTA staff, our member educators have been instrumental in advocating for reasonable health care premiums for education employees.

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