News and Success Stories
Latest News and Press
Progress Toward Achieving a Statewide School Pool
Last year CECHCR published a position paper and model design for a statewide public education risk pool. All CECHCR-member organizations have signed on to the concept. At this time key issues are being hammered out and legislation is being drafted. Read More and Get Full Report...
How do CalPERS retiree health benefits work?
Do costs for retirees go up or go down when a district moves into CalPERS for health benefits? See CECHCR's Fact Sheet here.
CECHCR Leadership Announcement
Robert Chacanaca, a Vice President of the California Federation of Teachers, has been appointed as CECHCR's new Co-Chair for Labor. He is replacing Dom Summa of CTA, who recently retired from CTA. Ruben Ingram, Executive Director of the School Employers Association of California, remains as Co-Chair for Management.
CECHCR Now Offers Module V Second Opinion Services
CECHCR’s team of health benefits experts can help when districts and unions need personalized solutions for reducing costs and improving quality—often saving the district and employees millions of dollars on medical, dental, vision, pharmacy and related expenses! Module V begins with a desk audit to determine if savings are possible, and continues with a comprehensive evaluation and recommendations. There are no fees for this service unless or until CECHCR saves you money. To sign up for a Module V Orientation, contact the CECHCR office. Read More.
Success Stories
Montebello Unified School District
When the Montebello Unified School District was faced with a 30 percent increase to their health insurance plan, CECHCR Consultants John Glynn and Mark Lowenthal of J. Glynn & Co. assisted their insurance committee through a “second opinion” process—funded by CTA and CSEA—that helped avert the crisis and move members to a new plan. Described as a “tide turn” for the District, this joint effort between management and labor—promoted by CECHCR—resulted in a combined savings of approximately $11.5 million for 2010, now up to $14 million in 2011. Implementing the change for 3,000 employees quickly due to an approaching member renewal deadline presented a challenge that required a true team effort. Read More.
CECHCR Trainings Help Oakley ESD Cut Health Care Costs
Many districts, after negotiating and completing their health insurance broker contracts, file the contracts away and leave them to collect dust. One Northern California school district realized significant cost savings by revisiting its contact and utilizing tips and strategies provided by a series of Health Benefits Trainings, offered free to districts by the California Education Coalition for Health Care Reform. Read More.
National Health Care Reform
Implementing National Health Reform in California: Chronicling the Changes to Public and Private Coverage
California HealthCare Foundation - June 10, 2010
The Affordable Care Act aims to transform the way health care is provided in the United States, and state officials are now grappling with the many challenges that arrived with its recent passage. Sweeping in scope, with an implementation timeline spanning nearly a decade, the new law ultimately will bring coverage to millions of previously uninsured citizens and create new coverage options for millions more.
To help understand the quickly changing landscape, the California HealthCare Foundation (CHCF), in partnership with Manatt Health Solutions, has assembled an initial assessment of the work ahead, Implementing National Health Reform in California: Changes to Public and Private Insurance.
The report focuses on the state's responsibilities in both the public and private coverage spheres, which will grow considerably. These include:
• Expanding Medi-Cal and reconfiguring eligibility standards under the program;
• Creating a health insurance exchange; and
• Implementing a wide range of mandated reforms to the commercial insurance markets in California.
Implementation of national health reform would be daunting in the best of times. Yet California, like many states, is operating with severe budget deficits that are expected to continue for years to come. Resources are already stretched thin in the very state agencies key to the effort. At the same time, a political transition at the highest levels of state government is in the near offing with the Governor's race already under way.
Despite these challenges and considerations, the new law has the potential to bring health insurance to many more Californians, thus improving their access to care. The goal for this early assessment is to help inform policymakers of actions needed to realize this potential. Read the report online now
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