State officials are nearing the completion of the selection of health insurance providers for state workers, the first under a new process established in 2012.
“The Office of Management and Enterprise Services is finalizing the plans and rates proposals,” said John Estus, spokesman for the agency.
“We plan to share that information with various employee groups and the (Employee Benefits and Insurance) board will discuss it at their Aug. 16 meeting and makes it recommendations,” he said.
ECapitol reports prior to this year, the Employee Benefits Council negotiated plan benefits and the cost of those plans with managed care providers and the Oklahoma State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board (OSEEGIB) set the rates for the HealthChoice plan it administered.
The council and the board were abolished as a result of legislation approved in 2012 and those functions were rolled into OMES’ employees group insurance division.
The legislation also created the Employee Benefits and Insurance Board to serve as an advisor to OMES in the development of the health insurance plans, provider selection and rates setting.
“It is our intention to follow the recommendation of the board quite closely,” said Estus.
