Critics say workers and retirees are being held responsible for the Jindal administration's mismanagement of their program.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - State employees and retirees face increased out-of-pocket costs and higher deductibles as Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration reworks state health insurance plans to keep the program from financial disaster.
Financial analysts say those in the insurance program in many instances will be paying more and getting less. Critics of the changes say workers and retirees are being held responsible for the Jindal administration's mismanagement of their program.
But the governor's top budget adviser, Kristy Nichols, says health care costs simply are going up. She says the Office of Group Benefits offered plans that were too generous to continue affording at their current price tag.
Nichols says new insurance plans are being offered that could have some employees and retirees paying less and getting coverage more in line with what they need.