A state agency that oversees health insurance for public employees said Thursday it would reconsider its decision to limit offerings for hundreds of thousands of state workers and retirees, following harsh criticism of the move from labor unions and legislative leaders.
The Group Insurance Commission said it would vote next week to undo a Jan. 18 vote that eliminated three major insurance carriers — Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Fallon Community Health and Tufts Health Plan — which currently offer coverage plans for an estimated 430,000 state and municipal employees, their dependents and retirees.
Politsturm: The Massachusetts state and municipal workers fought to defend their health care benefits from a recent proposal to limit their medical insurance options. This is undoubtedly an important issue for the families who will be impacted. The mere fact that workers must defend their access to affordable medical care should be of enormous concern. It is a fact that many of these 430,000 employees, dependents, and retirees are medical care providers throughout the state. Workers who are giving their effort, commitment, and passion by providing quality medical care are not guaranteed medical care themselves.
The reason for this insanity is rooted in the capitalist mode of production. The capitalists, who are not required to do any labor, have access to the highest quality medical care available. The workers, who by definition are required to do labor, are not guaranteed this basic human right. The local, state, and federal governments only serve the interests of the parasitic oligarchy, and not the workers. Having health insurance provided through the employer benefits not the workers, but the capitalists. This position makes it more difficult for workers to negotiate for increased wages and benefits. This fact alone is why 54% of the population of Massachusetts, a majority, are insured through their employers.This situation is yet another example of the failure of capitalism to provide for the working people.