http://www.startribune.com/stories/587/5332054.html
Lying in a hospital bed after a heart attack, a former Minnesota legislator picked up the telephone and made an important call -- to the state employees health insurance plan.
The ex-legislator wasn't covered by the plan, but under an unusual provision of state law he had the right to enroll at any time. State officials say that left taxpayers picking up a tab for heart bypass surgery of as much as $70,000.
Shortly afterward, the ex-legislator dropped the coverage, having paid only a few hundred dollars in premiums. But the option to re-enroll at any time stayed in place.
State Employee Relations Commissioner Cal Ludeman says as many as a dozen former legislators have moved in and out of the health plan in the past six years, about five of them "with regularity."
Citing severe federal penalties for disclosing confidential health information, Ludeman has named no names. But he is asking the 2005 Legislature to tighten up the rules to curb what he says would be an abuse if it weren't completely legal.
The law, on the books for at least 30 years, allows former legislators to enroll in the plan "at will, for no particular time, and to re-enroll any number of times during their lifetime," Ludeman said. "The claim cost is paid by all other members of the group -- state agencies and employees."
So far, his efforts have received a mixed reaction from current legislators, although a bill is advancing that would allow most former legislators to take or drop coverage only during annual enrollment periods.
"What's the next benefit that you take away?" asked Rep. Tim Mahoney, DFL-St. Paul, who contends that legislators are underpaid and underappreciated.
Rep. Michael Beard, R-Shakopee, said he was stunned by the negative reaction from both DFL and Republican legislators to Ludeman's proposal, which Beard is sponsoring.
"It's a problem with serious political implications," Beard said. "This touched a lot of people whose pensions and perks have been reduced over the years."
But Mahoney and others questioned whether a problem really exists. "There's no proof," Mahoney said, noting the lack of specifics Ludeman and other officials have offered. "It's such a rarely used thing."
57 beneficiaries
According to Ludeman, 57 ex-legislators are now enrolled in the state health plan, paying $320 a month for single coverage or about $900 for a family. Former judges are the only others eligible to stay on the state plan, but few, if any, take advantage because their early retirement incentives include state-paid health insurance.
Ludeman estimates the annual cost to the plan for in-and-out ex-legislators at $30,000 a year out of total plan outlays of $360 million each year.
But he said the principle of fair dealing by former elected officials outweighs the dollars involved. He cited several logs from the health plan's customer contact reports as showing a pattern of potential abuse:
? One former legislator asked about "retroactive cancellation of his [coverage]. He had it for December, but canceled his appointment and wants his money back."
? Another "has a dental appointment for February and needs coverage [he's getting crowns]."
? A third "said he might need surgery in June so will be applying for health coverage in May. He wants a booklet with rates and an application."
"Obviously, the few are drawing attention to the well-intentioned," Ludeman said.
Well-earned perk?
Ludeman is a former legislator who has never used the special provision. As a current state employee he now gets state-paid health coverage. He said many ex-legislators may not even know they are eligible for state health insurance and that the current controversy may spur some of them to enroll.
Legislators deserve such benefits for forsaking their families and careers for long hours of public service that, on average, pay less than the minimum wage, Mahoney said.
He is a pipefitter who had moved in and out of the state health plan when his union coverage lapsed if he spent too much time at the State Capitol and not enough with a monkey wrench in hand. Now, he said, he sticks with the state plan.
To Mahoney, the problem is legislators "who seem to hate themselves for doing this job" and will support restricting the health benefit as "self-sacrificing political grandstanding." If it keeps up, he said, the only people who will run for the Legislature will be fresh college graduates, retirees and the independently wealthy.
Mahoney has managed to scale back Beard's bill, which originally would have allowed ex-legislators to join the state health plan only within 30 days of leaving office.
Under an amendment Mahoney drafted, those who have never been in the plan could join once, at any time. But if they dropped coverage outside an open enrollment period, they would not be able to buy back in later.
The measure is set for a hearing in the House State Government Finance Committee today. A Senate companion bill sponsored by Sen. Linda Higgins, DFL-Minneapolis, has not yet been heard.
Tim Mahoney's idiocy about raping a system using a loophole is a benefit pushed me over the edge!
If he thinks he is underpaid and underloved. Go find a job in the private sector. But good luck raping a private secotr health insurance plan like this.
Lying in a hospital bed after a heart attack, a former Minnesota legislator picked up the telephone and made an important call -- to the state employees health insurance plan.
The ex-legislator wasn't covered by the plan, but under an unusual provision of state law he had the right to enroll at any time. State officials say that left taxpayers picking up a tab for heart bypass surgery of as much as $70,000.
Shortly afterward, the ex-legislator dropped the coverage, having paid only a few hundred dollars in premiums. But the option to re-enroll at any time stayed in place.
State Employee Relations Commissioner Cal Ludeman says as many as a dozen former legislators have moved in and out of the health plan in the past six years, about five of them "with regularity."
Citing severe federal penalties for disclosing confidential health information, Ludeman has named no names. But he is asking the 2005 Legislature to tighten up the rules to curb what he says would be an abuse if it weren't completely legal.
The law, on the books for at least 30 years, allows former legislators to enroll in the plan "at will, for no particular time, and to re-enroll any number of times during their lifetime," Ludeman said. "The claim cost is paid by all other members of the group -- state agencies and employees."
So far, his efforts have received a mixed reaction from current legislators, although a bill is advancing that would allow most former legislators to take or drop coverage only during annual enrollment periods.
"What's the next benefit that you take away?" asked Rep. Tim Mahoney, DFL-St. Paul, who contends that legislators are underpaid and underappreciated.
Rep. Michael Beard, R-Shakopee, said he was stunned by the negative reaction from both DFL and Republican legislators to Ludeman's proposal, which Beard is sponsoring.
"It's a problem with serious political implications," Beard said. "This touched a lot of people whose pensions and perks have been reduced over the years."
But Mahoney and others questioned whether a problem really exists. "There's no proof," Mahoney said, noting the lack of specifics Ludeman and other officials have offered. "It's such a rarely used thing."
57 beneficiaries
According to Ludeman, 57 ex-legislators are now enrolled in the state health plan, paying $320 a month for single coverage or about $900 for a family. Former judges are the only others eligible to stay on the state plan, but few, if any, take advantage because their early retirement incentives include state-paid health insurance.
Ludeman estimates the annual cost to the plan for in-and-out ex-legislators at $30,000 a year out of total plan outlays of $360 million each year.
But he said the principle of fair dealing by former elected officials outweighs the dollars involved. He cited several logs from the health plan's customer contact reports as showing a pattern of potential abuse:
? One former legislator asked about "retroactive cancellation of his [coverage]. He had it for December, but canceled his appointment and wants his money back."
? Another "has a dental appointment for February and needs coverage [he's getting crowns]."
? A third "said he might need surgery in June so will be applying for health coverage in May. He wants a booklet with rates and an application."
"Obviously, the few are drawing attention to the well-intentioned," Ludeman said.
Well-earned perk?
Ludeman is a former legislator who has never used the special provision. As a current state employee he now gets state-paid health coverage. He said many ex-legislators may not even know they are eligible for state health insurance and that the current controversy may spur some of them to enroll.
Legislators deserve such benefits for forsaking their families and careers for long hours of public service that, on average, pay less than the minimum wage, Mahoney said.
He is a pipefitter who had moved in and out of the state health plan when his union coverage lapsed if he spent too much time at the State Capitol and not enough with a monkey wrench in hand. Now, he said, he sticks with the state plan.
To Mahoney, the problem is legislators "who seem to hate themselves for doing this job" and will support restricting the health benefit as "self-sacrificing political grandstanding." If it keeps up, he said, the only people who will run for the Legislature will be fresh college graduates, retirees and the independently wealthy.
Mahoney has managed to scale back Beard's bill, which originally would have allowed ex-legislators to join the state health plan only within 30 days of leaving office.
Under an amendment Mahoney drafted, those who have never been in the plan could join once, at any time. But if they dropped coverage outside an open enrollment period, they would not be able to buy back in later.
The measure is set for a hearing in the House State Government Finance Committee today. A Senate companion bill sponsored by Sen. Linda Higgins, DFL-Minneapolis, has not yet been heard.
Tim Mahoney's idiocy about raping a system using a loophole is a benefit pushed me over the edge!
If he thinks he is underpaid and underloved. Go find a job in the private sector. But good luck raping a private secotr health insurance plan like this.
