The House Ways & Means budget, released on April 15th, would increase the percentage all state employees pay for their health insurance premiums to 70%. This would represent a 100% increase in out-of-pocket costs for most state workers!
Rep. Marty Walsh (D-Boston) has filed an amendment restoring state employee health insurance premiums to their current levels. Please call your State Representative today and ask them to support Rep. Walsh’s amendment.Calls are more effective than emails, so please call!
To find out the name and phone number of your State Rep., go to www.capwiz.com/massnurses. Here’s what to say when you call:
“Hello.My name is _____________________ and I am a nurse at ____________________. The House budget increases my health insurance costs way beyond what my family can afford. I am calling to ask Rep. _______________ to support amendment #863, sponsored by Marty Walsh, which would keep health insurance affordable for my family. [If they ask, the line item is 1108-5200]. Thank you.”
DMR FACILITY CLOSURES
Governor Deval Patrick has proposed closing four of the remaining facilities for people with Developmental Disabilities. In addition, the House Ways & Means budget cuts the funding for these facilities by over $33 million. Rep. Angelo Scaccia (D-Boston) has filed amendments protecting these facilities. These amendments include:
- #228 – Restores $14 million in funding to the DMR facilities (line item 5930-1000).
- #231 – Prevents closures of facilities without legislative approval (line item 5930-1000).
Please call your State Representative today and ask them to support these two Scaccia (pronounced Ska-sha) amendments.
Questions? Please call Maryanne McHugh at 781/830-5713.
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