CONNECTIONS

IDAHO
ITD HOME
IDAHO DMV
ITD NEWS
HIGHWAY SAFETY
IDAHO STATE POLICE
TRAVEL SERVICES
STATE OF IDAHO

NATIONAL
AASHTO
AAMVA
AAA of IDAHO
FEDERAL HIGHWAYS
FEDERAL AVIATION
IDAHO STATE POLICE
NHTSA
NTSB
TRB
U.S. DOT

 

Idaho Transportation
Department
Public Affairs Office
P.O. Box 7129
Boise, ID 83707
208.334.8005
Fax: 208.334.8563
Email


Department of Administration announces
final revisions to health insurance plan
 Many of changes discussed earlier will not be implemented

The Idaho Department of Administration announced this week important changes to employee medical plans that will become effective July 1. Those changes emerged after a series of meetings in April and May when preliminary plans were outlined for state employees.

Many of the proposed changes discussed during those meetings will not be implemented.

“After evaluating the impact on employees and dependents and further discussions with the governor’s office, the department will not implement the proposed changes to the medical plans July 1 – with the exception of lowering the co-payment on all generics and the addition of the generic statin initiative,” according to an announcement from the Department of Administration this week.

The pharmacy benefit for the FY08 plan year will be:

  • Generic drugs $10 co-payment
  • Brand name drugs with no generic equivalent $18 co-payment
  • Brand name drug with a generic equivalent $40 co-payment plus cost differential
  • Zero co-payment for generic statins
  • A 90-day supply of certain maintenance medications can be obtained for two co-payments

Although there are no plan design changes for the current year, these changes could be considered again next year as medical costs continue to rise, and the state could be faced with even greater premium increases in the future, the department said.

Among the changes initially considered, and recently dropped, for state employee health insurance in the coming fiscal year were:

  • Changing from a co-payment type of plan to a co-insurance plan.
  • Implementing a formulary for prescription drugs
  • Implementing a pilot program for generic statin drugs that would require no co-payment.
  • Changing the co-payment/co-insurance requirement to a single payment for each 30 day supply.
  • Implementing a pre-authorization requirement for elective high-cost imaging
  • Re-implementing a $100 co-payment for emergency room visits.

For complete information about changes to state health insurance for FY08, please visit the Department of Administration Web site.

Published 6-1-07