Selected articles and presentations are archived below.

UnitedHealthcare working to reach agreement with OhioHealth system
Network status of medical facilities, physicians may be impacted; Check in June for contract negotiation updates
May 30, 2008 - OCSEA members enrolled in the UnitedHealthcare medical insurance program should take note that OhioHealth's impending contract expiration could impact the network status of various physicians and several hospitals and medical facilities in Central and Southeast Ohio.  FULL STORY

Get free health screening at your workplace this spring
April 21, 2008 - The Take Charge! Live Well! Road Show continues this spring and summer, bringing program information and free health screenings to many work locations across the state through June 25. FULL STORY | SCREENING DATES

OAKS tracks preventive care incentives; Next batch of incentives paid after Feb. 29
Jan. 28, 2008 - The Joint Health Care Committee is offering two updates on the Take Charge! Live Well! program: Incentives and Preventive Care. FULL STORY

Get free health screening at your workplace
Jan. 28, 2008 - The Take Charge! Live Well! Road Show is well under way, bringing program information and free health screenings to many work locations across the state through March. FULL STORY

Stretch your dollars in 2008; Enroll Nov. 5 - 30 in a flexible spending account
Oct. 11, 2007 - Putting money in a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) to pay health care expenses or to pay for childcare or other dependent care expenses is a smart way to save money each year. FULL STORY

New wellness program introduced at upcoming meetings statewide

Sept. 11, 2007 - Take Charge Live Well is a health and wellness initiative being developed by the Joint Heath Care Committee. Learn more now about how to get more information and how your subordinate body can help spread the word. FULL STORY

Need your stories on healthy lifestyle, wellness for educational video

July 13, 2007 - Through the joint health care committee, the union has been working closely with the DAS Benefits Administration (BAS) department to roll out a new program entitled "Take Charge. Live Well," aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles and good health choices. FULL STORY

State employee union members have new pharmacy benefits manager starting July 1;

Register to give authorization to Catalyst Rx

July 3, 2007 - Remember to complete the new pharmacy benefits manager's registration form. Catalyst Rx, the new prescription benefit management company, took over from Medco on July 1.
FULL STORY

JHCC distributes health care survey; Union activists to help circulate
Aug. 10, 2006 - The Joint Health Care Committee is circulating a survey to aid it in planning and communications. FULL STORY

New contract offers health care benefits improvements; Browse FAQ on premium holiday
Feb. 28, 2006 - Union members were pleased that the new contract holds the line on the cost of many health care components and even offers several improvements. He also noted that the sound fiscal health of his members’ health care plan would allow a premium “holiday” – a month where no premium is due – in both 2006 and 2007. FULL STORY

Health care bargaining continues to present challenges, opportunities

July 29, 2005 - This summer the Joint Health Care Committee (JHCC) is meeting with the state to do the necessary pre-bargaining work that will set the stage for another round of difficult health care negotiations. JHCC Labor Co-chair Marianne Steger shared extensive data and research at the seven regional bargaining meetings.  Full Story

What’s New this Open Enrollment? More HMOs available
Aetna is back, Kaiser and SummaCare are gone
April 18, 2005 - Come July 1, 2005 the number of counties with only 1 HMO available to state employees will shrink from 63 to 12. And the number of counties with no HMO will shrink from 5 to 2. Aetna, an HMO which once had 20,000 state employees enrolled, will be available again on July 1st in 70 counties. Meanwhile, July, Kaiser and SummaCare will no longer be offered to state employees in the NE part of the state.  Full Story

Medco is back for Ohio Med Enrollees July 1; ExpressScript refills to roll over to Medco
April 18, 2005 - Effective July 1, 2005 state employees enrolled in the Ohio Med PPO will get their prescriptions through Medco as the one year contract with Express Scripts will not be renewed. Medco was recommended for selection by the JHCC after an extensive Request for Proposals process was concluded this spring. The RFP asks questions about such matters as customer service issues, quality initiatives, retail network access and price. Full Story

Medical Mutual will keep Administering the Ohio Med PPO
April 18, 2005 - Last fall the state, in conjunction with the JHCC, issued a Request for Proposals to determine who will be the third party administrator (TPA) for the Ohio Med PPO.  Full Story

Kaiser enrollees options; Chart below compares HMOs, Ohio Med PPO
April 1, 2005 - OCSEA Director of Health Care Policy and Human Resources created the chart below to help Kaiser enrollees get through this difficult period of choosing another health care plan and new doctors. Full Story

State employee prescription drug coverage not accepted at CVS pharmacies, effective April 18
Jan. 20, 2005 - CVS has decided it will no longer participate in the network of retail pharmacists for state of Ohio employees enrolled in the Ohio Med PPO. The retail pharmacy has done this as a protest to the state’s mandatory mail order program for maintenance drugs which has been in place since 1992, explained Marianne Steger, OCSEA Director of Health Care Policy and Human Resources. Full Story

Ohio's Best Rx launched today; Taft appoints OCSEA staff to oversight council
Jan. 11, 2005 - More than a year ago, the Ohio General Assembly approved the passage of the labor-backed Best Rx legislation (H.B. 311 and S. B. 138). The Ohio AFL-CIO had joined with two dozen community service and non-profit organizations to represent the uninsured and seniors who need help with paying for medicine. The coalition achieved its goal: Secure a maximum discount for the greatest number of people who need it. Full Story

Ohio's Best Rx launched today; Taft appoints OCSEA staff to oversight council
Jan. 11, 2005 - More than a year ago, the Ohio General Assembly approved the passage of the labor-backed Best Rx legislation (H.B. 311 and S. B. 138). The Ohio AFL-CIO had joined with two dozen community service and non-profit organizations to represent the uninsured and seniors who need help with paying for medicine. The coalition achieved its goal: Secure a maximum discount for the greatest number of people who need it. Full Story

Health Care Spending Accounts help members save money
Nov. 4, 2004 - Open enrollment for the new health care spending account (HCSA) will take place Oct. 29 through Nov. 15, 2004. During this time employees can opt to put pretax dollars (up to $500 the first year, $1000 the second year) into an account from which they will reimburse themselves for qualified medical expenses not covered by insurance. Full Story

Voters to consider health care crisis on election day in three weeks; Support chapter GOTV efforts
Oct. 12, 2004 - More than one million people a year have lost their health insurance since the Bush administration came to Washington. And, health care costs have grown by double-digit percentages each year Bush has been in office. Full Story

Committee to examine new vendors for best coverage
Aug. 23, 2004 - The state employee Joint Health Care Committee (JHCC), in its ongoing efforts to provide OCSEA members affordable and accessible quality health care, is in the process of rebidding a number of health care benefits. full story

ExpressScripts takes over drug program
Aug. 5, 2004 - As a results of contract negotiations, Ohio became part of a multi-state drug purchasing coalition, Rx Issuing States, which hired ExpressScripts in a money saving move. full story

Changes in the mail-in drug program for Ohio Med participants; Pay balances
May 25, 2004 - As most union members know, the vendor for the mandatory mail-in drug program for Ohio Med participants is changing for the new benefit year beginning July 1, 2004. Effective July 1, Ohio Med Participants will use Express Scripts Incorporated instead of Medco Health for their pharmacy benefit manager.  full story

Cover the Uninsured Week runs statewide, May 10-16; OCSEA health care policy expert to address community forum in Columbus
May 5, 2004 - Did you know that more than one million Ohioans are uninsured? Our health care system is broken and it affects all of us, even public employee union members who are covered under their union negotiated contracts. Marianne Steger, OCSEA Director of Human Resources and Health Care Policy, will speak Monday, May 10, at the Community Forum.  full story

State gets ok to change drug plan; Ohio to join multi-state drug coalition
April 8, 2004 - The Controlling Board, on March 22, approved the Joint Health Care Committee's (JHCC) recommendation to contract with a new pharmacy benefit manager and to award that contract to Express Scripts Inc. The State will changeover from Medco to ESI on July 1. full story

Governor rejects new Ohio Med PPO administration bids, extends MMO for one year
April 5, 2004 - On April 2, Governor Taft decided to reject all bids and start a new re-bidding process to determine who will be administer the Ohio Med PPO plan for state employees. full story

Q & A: Changes to the mail-in pharmacy benefit for Ohio Med enrollees
March 10, 2004 - OCSEA members have a number of questions about the change from Medco to Express Scripts as the pharmacy benefits manager (PBM) of the mail-in pharmacy benefit for Ohio Med enrollees. Here are answers to some key questions. full story

State to carve out drugs to Express Scripts, leaving Medco July 1, 2004; Change impacts Ohio Med PPO enrollees
Feb. 26, 2004 - One of the issues the union raised in bargaining last time was that the state really had not done all it could do to keep health care costs down. We asked the state to consider joining multi-state purchasing coalitions. Full Story

Ohio's Best Rx: OCSEA petition drive to kick off in support of drug benefit , Contact your legislators now
Nov. 4, 2003 - A labor-initiated prescription drug discount benefit for seniors over 60 and families with low incomes could soon become a reality in Ohio. The Ohio AFL-CIO's prescription drug discount program "Ohio's Best Rx" is winding its way through committees of the General Assembly as HB 311 and SB 138. Full Story

Employee’s share of Health Care Premium to be split over two paychecks
Oct. 24, 2003 - Beginning with the paycheck issued on Nov. 14, 2003, the State of Ohio will begin to deduct the employee’s monthly share of the health care premium twice a month. full story

OCSEA members pay less than the shrinking minority of workers with health care plans
Sept. 23, 2003 - OCSEA members saw changes in their health insurance premiums in the last year. However, looking at facts and figures from around the country, OCSEA members remain in the minority of workers who are covered by health insurance offered by their employer. And, OCSEA members are paying less than half of what the average worker pays for insurance. The average worker with family coverage pays $209 a month for health care. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) collects data on workforce demographics and issues frequent studies on employee trends. In the past ten years, 20% of the workers in the US who had employer-sponsored health insurance lost their coverage. full story

California close to enacting health care mandate
Sept. 15, 2003 - A “play or pay” bill that would force employers to offer health care coverage to workers or pay into a fund that would provide it for them had a good chance of passing the California Legislature in the final hours of this year’s session on Friday, sources say. full story

Why can't we all afford health care?
Sept. 12, 2003 - Come to an open forum on universal health care coverage, Thursday, Sept. 18. full story

Compass health care newsletter details JHCC's recent work
Sept. 4, 2003 - View and share the most recent issue of the union's health care newsletter, Compass. newsletter.pdf

Retiree health care report
July 3, 2003 - President Ron Alexander reported at the June 26-27 OCSEA Board of Directors meeting on the status of health care benefits for Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) participants. full story

Paramount network experiences loss of some specialists
May 21, 2003 - We were initially concerned that the network would now lack certain specialists as a result of the departing group, but it looks as if there will be no holes in network coverage. full story

UnitedHealthCare, Grady Memorial Hospital reach agreement
May 13, 2003 - Get the details. full story

Get informed: Open enrollment extended through May 16
May 6, 2003 - Health care has been and continues to be a key issue in union negotiations around the state this year. full story

Health care is the hot bargaining topic... still
April 22, 2003 - Health care has been and continues to be a key issue in union negotiations around the state this year. full story

UHC drops its rates
April 21, 2003 - UHC, whose rates were set to climb dramatically this July, contacted the state to indicate it found errors in its calculation of the premium for state employees this July. full story

UnitedHealth Group profits up 37 %
April 16, 2003 - OCSEA members are concerned with how high UHC's premiums have increased this year. A Business Insurance news article describes the profits. full story

Differences between UHC and MMO premiums explained
April 8, 2003 - There are three reasons why the UHC premium will increase so much in July 2003. full story

Employee health care share rises as anticipated
April 3, 2003 - As the union marked the MyOCSEA Health Care web section's first year anniversary last month, the archive page repeated an important caution: Employees would shoulder a larger share of the increased costs of their health care in the future.  full story

AFSCME files lawsuits to fight inflated prescription drug pricing
April 3, 2003 - AFSCME recently joined a lawsuit against the four largest pharmacy benefit managers (PBM's) for inflating prescription drug prices. These four companies control more than 80% of the PBM market. full story

UnitedHealthcare extends coverage to three Franklin county hospitals
April 3, 2003 -At the very last minute, UnitedHealthcare extended coverage at three Franklin County hospitals. OhioHealth hospitals include Riverside Methodist Hospital, Grant Medical Center and Doctors hospitals.10,000 OCSEA members carry UnitedHealthcare, many of them in the central Ohio area. full story

UHC notifies union of two provider's departure from network
Feb. 28, 2003 - In what is yet an other example of the how the U.S. health care system is not working well, we have received notice from UHC that two of its hospitals will be leaving their network due to failed re-negotiations of their contract with UHC. full story

Bargaining team wins several gains in health care benefits
Feb. 27, 2003 - With the health care bargaining road paved in advance by the union's Joint Health Care Committee members, OCSEA made several advancements for members and their families. full story

Participate in Cover the Uninsured Week
Feb. 21, 2003 - Are you tired of fighting to save your health care every contract? Get active in the fight to change the U.S. Health Care System. full story

State’s Proposal takes $2-$3,000 a year from you
Feb. 4, 2003 - On Jan. 8 the state finally shared its health care proposal with the union. It includes doubling what employees pay for health care premiums and increases just about every co-pay and co-insurance amount that employees pay. full story

State proposes major changes to drug plan
Feb. 4, 2003 - It’s no surprise that the state has proposed sweeping changes to the drug benefit, given the high costs of drugs. full story

Health care spending accounts can save you money
Feb. 4, 2003 - With the goal of helping to reduce out of pocket health care costs to members, OCSEA has proposed the creation of a health care spending account (HCSA). full story

View, print copy of union's Compass newsletter now
Jan. 24, 2003 - Hot off the press today, you'll find updates on health care bargaining and how the state's proposals could affect you and your family. You'll need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the PDF file. NEWSLETTER

Chat with Marianne Steger on Jan. 30, 7-9 p.m.
Jan. 23, 2003 - Mark your calendar for the Jan. 30 health care bargaining chat with OCSEA's Marianne Steger, Joint Health Care Committee Labor Co-chair. She'll update you 7 - 9 p.m. on mediation and fact finding developments on the health care front.  full story

Health Care Action Day turns heads; Sends a message to Management
Jan. 15, 2003 - Members across the state showed their support for the OCSEA Joint Health Care Committee on the Jan. 14 Health Care Action Day after learning about the State’s proposed health care benefit take-aways.  full story

Police car hits, kills striking GE striker
Jan. 14, 2003 - Nationwide, GE workers, including those employed at plants in Northeast Ohio, are waging a two day strike over a $400 increase in health care.   full story

State proposal would shift brunt of costs to employees;
Are you willing to fight for health care? Join us Jan. 14!
Jan. 8, 2003 - While the JHCC has been willing to look at a number of ways to reduce the cost of health care, we are not prepared to take on all the costs. Amplify the union message that OCSEA members are "Willing to fight for health care."  full story

Are you ready for Health Care Action Day?
Jan. 7, 2003 - Get ready to stand strong and tough with the negotiating team and the JHCC on Health Care Action Day Tuesday, January 14, 2003.  full story

JHCC wants to partner with state on wellness initiative
Jan. 7, 2003 - Indeed lots of employers provide work out areas with exercise equipment, walking tracks, wellness seminars and negotiate discounts to gyms for their employees. full story

Full-time health care policy analyst may be possible for JHCC
Jan. 7, 2003 - In this time of health care crisis the JHCC needs every advantage it can get in trying to design affordable, quality health care. While the JHCC uses consultants, the truth is we need expertise on a daily basis. full story

JHCC considers splitting premium payments over two paychecks
Jan. 7, 2003 -With the cost of health care rising at 20% a year, even our 10% share of the premium is getting pretty high. For some time we have been trying to get the state to deduct the employee’s share of the premium twice a month—one half at a time. full story

Find out why Health Care Action Day is important
Jan. 6, 2003 -The JHCC has told the state health care is our number one priority and we will not agree to employees paying more of the premium than they currently do. full story

Get health care newsletter to print
Dec. 27, 2002 - Find out about Action Day, JHCC staff needs, premium splits, and wellness programs. learn more

Keep up with national impact on local bargaining
Dec. 17, 2002 - Recent national trends continue to make health care bargaining very challenging for OCSEA. story one    story two

Jan. 14 is health care action day
Dec. 10, 2002 - The State of Ohio is proposing take-aways. Find out what's happening in the health care insurance and drug industries, and how both could impact your health care benefits. FULL STORY

What is a closed formulary? How could we end up with one?
Dec. 10, 2002 - The JHCC is looking at all options to reduce premium increases. One such option is the closed formulary—which can save plans a lot of money. FULL STORY

Bargaining is in high gear
Dec. 10, 2002 - The State of Ohio is proposing take-aways. Find out what's happening in the health care insurance and drug industries, and how both could impact your health care benefits. FULL STORY

Health Care newsletter goes out
Nov. 22, 2002 - See an advanced copy of OCSEA's Health Care Compass newsletter now. View it with Adobe Acrobat Viewer. LEARN MORE

Drug costs are available online
Nov. 22, 2002 - Want to see what your drugs really cost? Find out on this web site Scrip Pharmacy. LEARN MORE

Spiraling medical costs create uphill battle for unions
Nov. 4, 2002 - The International Union of Electronic Workers/Communications Workers of America voted to strike GE, over health benefits, starting in January. If the two parties don't solve their differences soon, it would be the first national strike against GE since 1969. full story

Lunch time rally at statehouse on prescription drugs
Oct. 30, 2002 - Rally in the atrium of the Capital Building on Wednesday, Oct. 30 at 12:30.
full story

JHCC at work on health care bargaining
Sept 18, 2002 -As has been our tradition in negotiating health care the Joint Health Care Committee has begun its work on bargaining new health care language months ahead of the main table negotiations.
Full Story

Aug. 26, 2002 - Leading health care purchaser examines tiered hospital networks as cost cutting measure
As health care costs continue to spiral out of control, employers and their unions look for ways to reduce costs everyone pays close attention to what Calpers does. Calpers is the nation's second largest purchaser of health care behind the federal government. Often new trends in health care design start in Calpers. Recently Calpers has started looking into tiered hospital networks as a way to save up to 20% on premiums. Full Story

Aug. 23, 2002 - JHCC considers formularies as a cost control option
Some members have suggested that we should look at all cost savings measures that might enable us to keep the premium split at 90/10. Since formularies can reduce the overall cost of premiums significantly the JHCC is taking a look at formularies as a potential benefit plan design change. Full Story

Aug. 23, 2002 - Health care costs exceed $404 million last fiscal year
Everyone knows health care costs are high, but exactly how high for state of Ohio employees and their employer? The chart breaks down annual and monthly costs for FY 2003 for Ohio Med PPO and United Health Care, single and family coverage. Full Story

July 16 , 2002 - Compare the cost of top selling brand name drugs to their generic equals
This chart from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan shows how generics can save money.  Full Story

July 15 , 2002 - Millions in U.S. lack insurance, which could be a hot topic
A recent Columbus Dispatch article points out the fact that health care as an issue (one that OCSEA members have a great interest in) is heating up.  Full Story

July 11 , 2002 - Drug patent law among factors jacking up drug costs
One of the factors in rising drug costs is the way the current drug patent law is written. Some U.S. Senators are working to change a portion of that law. The bill, introduced last year by Senators Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.), would eliminate a provision in the 1984 Hatch-Waxman law that allows brand-name drug companies to receive an automatic 30-month patent extension from the FDA when they file lawsuits against generic drug makers for alleged patent infringement. The Hatch-Waxman amendment has led to widespread filing of frivolous extensions just to get the automatic 30-month extension. Recently debate was held in the U.S. Senate about this topic. Full Story

July 10, 2002 - Suit Alleges Johnson & Johnson Blocked Generic Competition for Medication
Brand name drug manufacturers are often criticized for blocking the release of generics that will compete with theirs. Here is a story about how Johnson & Johnson fought the release of an over the counter anti-diarrhea medicine. Full Story

July 9, 2002 - Washington Post examines impact of rising health care costs
The Washington Post examines the nation's rapidly rising health care costs and points to the U.S. spending on health care being 3 times higher than 29 other industrialized nations. The report cites the U.S. "insatiable appetite" for medical tests and treatments as part of the cause. Full Story

July 1, 2002 - Why consider opt outs, incentives?
Many questions were generated last week as a result of a new online poll asking members if they would consider a health care insurance opt out.  Full Story

June 27, 2002 - Coalition pushes bill to lower drug costs
Losing its patience with the legislature, a coalition led by the Ohio AFL-CIO will start a petition drive to pressure lawmakers to vote on a bill that would enable state government to try to negotiate lower prescription-drug prices for poorer citizens.
Full Story

June 24, 2002 - Americans pay more for prescription drugs; The Real Drug Czars Work in Washington
Americans pay up to twice as much for the same drugs sold in other countries, including Canada. Fourteen million seniors have no drug coverage, and millions more have lousy coverage. Nearly two years ago, Public Citizen reported in an July 6, 2000 bulletin that the drug industry was on pace to spend nearly $14 million every election and another $150 million every two years lobbying Congress to protect its incredibly high profit rate, which is three times that of all other industries. Prices continue to rise, so this trend prediction seems to be correction. full story

June 12, 2002 - Health plan premiums continue double-digit increase
BenefitsNews.com reports continued increase of health care premiums projected rate increase for 2003 is 22%. The average employee pays 15% of the premium for single coverage and 27% for family coverage. Get the details from the MyOCSEA News Clippings. full story

June 4, 2002 - Lives on the line: The prescription drug crisis (article from Public Employee magazine)
Faced with soaring drug prices, employers are shifting the burden to workers and retirees. Those without coverage must make tough choices. Something’s got to give!  full story

June 4, 2002 - Survey says: Health care premium split okay
In a recent online member poll, 71 percent of respondents indicated they prefer to have their health care premium split over two pay checks, instead of deducted from one paycheck.  full story

New Addition!
June 3 2002 - HMOs pushing sharp rate increases
A recent article from Business Insurance points to 22% average increase in HMO premiums for 2003 renewals.  full story

May 31, 2002 - Keep pressure on legislators to support measures providing affordable prescription drugs to all Ohioans
The Columbus Dispatch has joined the chorus, calling for hearings on HB 290 and SB 127. The companion bills sponsored by Rep. Dale Miller, D-Cleveland (House Bill 290), and Sen. Robert F. Hagan, D-Youngstown (Senate Bill 127), would enable the state to negotiate a better rate with drug makers, much in the same way the state buys its cars in bulk from automakers. The drugs would then be sold to consumers at a discount cost that has the program's administration fees built in. The editorial coverage is a coup, hailing from a conservative newspaper that initially ignored the Ohio AFL-CIO's calls for hearings. AFL-CIO spokesperson Kent Darr applauded the relentless efforts of Coalition spokesman Dale Butland, who went several extra miles to convince the editor and the extremely conservative publisher that these bills are worthy of media notice. The Coalition For Affordable Prescription Drugs was formed in January to promote legislation that will make prescription drugs affordable for all Ohio residents.
full story or contact legislators or RX Coalition Info

May, 2002 - Health care strategic planning, interest-based bargaining used
Interest based bargaining model both parties look closely at each side's concerns and issues. This allows both the state and the union to clearly understand each side's position and generally facilitates a more open and mutually beneficial dialogue. full story

April 17, 2002 - News columnist warns: National health care crisis is brewing
Skyrocketing health care premiums soon may force employers to scale back or eliminate health insurance benefits, driving more and more families into the ranks of the uninsured, speculates David S. Broder in a recent Columbus Dispatch news column. full story

April, 2002 - Check out the new Pathways publication
OCSEA members are encouraged to read the April 2002 issue of Pathways. Get details about open enrollment decisions, behavioral health services, HMO options and more.

April, 2002 - LTV retirees are without health care coverage
LTV’s three plans, which terminated March 31, 2002, have a combined underfunding of $2.2 billion. While in business, LTV had extensive coverage including no premium payments for active workers and $10 co-pays for prescriptions. full story

March 22, 2002 - Aetna Decides it wants out
When Aetna was informed that it had not submitted a complete bid, the company decided to pull out. Aetna cited the fact that it lost $15 million on the state account last year and has never made a profit on the plan. This leaves some 20,000 state of Ohio employees in the position of having to select a new health plan during the upcoming open enrollment period. full story

March 1, 2002 - Bargaining for health care benefits starts
As the nation is enters its third year of double digit rate increases for health care, the State of Ohio and OCSEA Joint Health Care Committee prepares for bargaining. full story

March 1, 2002 - HMO selection in process pushing ahead
The planning subcommittee of the JHCC is working diligently to design the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the HMO selection process. full story

March 1, 2002 - Mental health contract re-bid process nears completion
About every six years, the Joint Health Care Committee develops the process that selects a mental health/substance abuse vendor to provide behavioral health services for state employees. full story

February 2002 - State Budget Crisis - Impact on Health Care; AFSCME State Budget Conference

Winter 2002 - Health Care Bargaining Stormy, Public Employee Quarterly

Fall 2001- No Easy Fix, Public Employee Quarterly

August 2001 - Surviving Today's Health Care Crisis, Convention Workshop Presentation

August 2001 - Rising Cost of Health Care

July 13, 2001 - National health care crisis hits home for OCSEA members and families

July 19, 2001 - Savvy union negotiations with State & HMOs keep health care premium increases lower; Employees in other states pay more, see HMOs folding

Summer 2001 - How is the State's share of health care premium calculated?

March 1999 - Patient Bill of Rights, Collective Bargaining Reporter

February 21, 2001- Managed Health Care: COMMUNITY-BASED STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING QUALITY

March 2000 - Health Care Benefits Update - A publication of the JHCC for state employees.