By rssfeeds-admin 
The Board of Trustees behind the North Carolina State Health Plan will vote on Friday on how much the premium for the state’s employees and teachers will increase, due to what State Treasurer Brad Briner said are huge deficits for 2026.
The vote will impact nearly 760,000 North Carolinians with the State Health Plan and will be determined based on their salaries.
According to Briner in a video message on Monday, the health plan hasn’t increased in seven years. However, he said health care costs have increased by over 25% in that same timespan.
“The plans that the Board of Trustees has worked hard to shield members from inflation, but that has meant, for years, we’ve been using cash to plug the hole,” said Briner.
“But those reserves are now nearly exhausted, and we’ve reached a financial crossroads.”
Briner goes on to say that the state faces a $507 million deficit in 2026 due to health care costs. This has prompted an increase in the State Health Plan.
In addition to the price increase, Briner said $100 million in tax dollars next year and decreasing prices from healthcare providers in NC will go towards offsetting some of the rising costs.
“Thank you to our state lawmakers who prioritized this funding in a tight budget this year” said Briner. “This three-pronged approach is the only way we are going to get on track.”
Prior to Briner’s video message about the State Health Plan premiums increasing, unions across NC have gathered under the demise that the plan is under attack.
CBS 17 previously reported in May that state union workers demanded the state invest more into the health plan and give state employees a raise in wages to $25 an hour.
According to their website, the State Health Plan is administered by Aetna with CVS as the pharmacy benefit manager.
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