Locations Picked for Hearings on Insurance Funding Solution

A task force subcommittee has chosen 22 locations across West Virginia to hold public hearings on an insurance program for West Virginia teachers and other public employees.

A public outreach subcommittee of the Public Employees Insurance Agency task force met Thursday in Charleston. It chose the communities for the meetings later this spring, and the staff of the governor’s office would schedule dates and meeting places.

Task force members say the meetings would be held either on Saturdays or weekday evenings.

Gov. Jim Justice and the Legislature agreed to freeze PEIA premiums, deductibles and co-pays for the coming year and provided $29 million in supplemental funding. Teachers want a more permanent funding fix.

Justice also signed a 5 percent pay raise for teachers last month to end their nine-day strike.