Health insurance rates to increase for state employees

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ About 236-thousand state, education and local government employees will see an increase in their health insurance rates on January first. <br/><br/>The Oklahoma State and Education

Saturday, August 21st 2004, 9:19 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ About 236-thousand state, education and local government employees will see an increase in their health insurance rates on January first.

The Oklahoma State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board and the state Employee Benefits Council set new premium rates today.

The groups also selected Global Health Health Incorporated to replace PacifiCare as the state's new health maintenance organization provider.

About 165-thousand Oklahomans covered by HealthChoice -- the state's health care plan -- will see an increase of about 9-point-6 percent.

Rates for the most popular H-M-O plans will go up by an average of about 11-point-5 percent.

Insurance board Chairman Richard Womack says the increases are unfortunate, but still less than those of some states that have set 2005 rates.