Speaker Dillon's Health Plan: No winners, only losers

Speaker Dillon released a plan last week to create a statewide health care plan for all public employees. It promises savings through the creation of a health care system managed by the state that eliminates the ability of local school districts and school employees to bargain these benefits.

Who loses under this plan?

• Public school employees have already delivered millions in savings by accepting lower salaries, cuts to their benefits and sharing in the cost of health care. In the 9G/H office, many locals have already shifted their insurance from 5/10 prescription copays to 10/20 prescription copays. This change in prescription copays saved the districts almost 10% in health care premiums.
• Public employees have taken reductions in pay and benefits, just like every other taxpayer. State mandated financial reports show that the portion of school revenue that goes to employee compensation has been decreasing.
• Public employees are taxpayers. This does not save them anything. It merely shifts the costs and burdens to them.
• This plan attempts to shift control over schools from the local communities to the politicians in Lansing. If Lansing assumes control over health care benefits, it will be another example of how local school districts have lost control over another portion of their operations. If Lansing continues to take control from school districts, there will be no need for local school boards and many administrators.

So who wins? Not taxpayers, public employees, or local communities. Is this political maneuvering by Speaker Dillon in an attempt to run for Governor in 2010? Should the health care benefits of 400,00 public employees be sacrificed for the political aspirations of one person?

Speaker Dillon's plan is a distraction from what should be the focus: passing a budget that moves Michigan in a positive direction. Let our national leaders focus on health care reform.