Michigan House Speaker Andy Dillon ...is on the right track.
Dillon ... outlined a plan to overhaul health care for government employees that could save the state as much as $900 million a year.
... (I)t would align the health care benefits of Michigan government workers with those of other states and consolidate the state's hundreds of different plans into one. ...
Dillon correctly noted that government, university and school employees in Michigan generally receive better and more expensive health care coverage than their counterparts in other states and those in the private sector. ...
Unfortunately, Dillon's plan already is running into opposition ... (the) Michigan Education Association ... (said) "these half million people he's talking about are taxpayers, too. All he's talking about is shifting costs to them."
... That is not at all an unfair burden to place on government workers, many of whom might also be able to keep their jobs because the state will have $900 million in additional cash to help it avoid more layoffs.
Midland Daily News
