MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Governor Patrick Morrisey made it clear as the legislative session ended there will be special sessions this year, and members of the West Virginia School Service Personnel Association (WSSPA) would like to see one before the schedule increases in the Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA).
On WAJR’s “Talk of the Town,” Executive Director Joe White said PEIA started many years ago as a benefit offered to workers in lieu of a pay raise. White said in the beginning the insurance was a way to make working for the state attractive due to low wages.
White doesn’t want free benefits, but he also doesn’t want to see membership picking up the tab for the continued increases to bail out the plan almost every year.
“They have put a cost on it, then they increased that cost, then increased that cost, and increased the cost again,” White said. “Now, up to certain individuals are paying up to $8,000 a year.”
In 2023, White said an employee with 28 years of service paid $2,876 for PEIA coverage. After the passage of Senate Bill 268 in 2025, premiums were increased to restore the 80/20 employer/employee split, and the spousal surcharge was added, increasing what that employee will pay to $5,362.
The next round of increases needed to stabilize the plan that goes into effect July 1, 2025, more than doubles the spousal surcharge, increases premiums and out-of-pocket maximum payments, and increases deductibles by 40 percent.
“Premiums have increased; that’s going to be $3,952, and the spousal surcharge is going to be an additional $4,200, which means the total employee cost is going to be $8,152,” White said.
“I’m just going to be honest with you, probably about 50 percent of our folks qualify for SNAP benefits,” White said. “But, they cannot afford these big increases in PEIA.”
White is encouraging school districts statewide to pass resolutions asking the governor and state lawmakers to fix the plan. In the future, he hopes to meet with Governor Morrisey to talk about possible solutions.
“He has mentioned PEIA, and he even mentioned they would be calling a special session to address it,” White said. “I will plan on reaching out to leadership because it’s a very important issue.”
The fact that PEIA was snubbed during the most recent legislative session after a series of statewide meetings was held to get input from the public employees on the plan is a mystery to White. He said state lawmakers seem oblivious to what will happen to some of these workers after the planned increases kick in July 1.
“They need to stabilize this plan so people can afford it,” White said. “Not get over there and put your magic hat on and try to privatize this stuff—that is not an option.”