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PEIA Taskforce Meets for First Time

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The new Public Employee’s Insurance Agency task force met today at the Capitol. The task force was mandated by the governor in response to recent striking by teachers who demanded the state Legislature to “fix PEIA.” Teachers protested increased premiums and health costs, as well as a pay raise.

The 29-member task force met for about 30 minutes and mainly focused on creating three committees. Task force chair, Mike Hall, who is also the Justice Administration’s Chief of Staff, said the committees would allow the task force to divide and conquer necessary tasks as they looked into the issue. The committees will focus on coverage and plan review, cost and revenue, and legislative and public outreach.

Hall said one of the greatest weaknesses of the current plan is that participants don’t understand exactly what the plan does and doesn’t do.

The task force will meet again on April 10th at which time Hall said they will discuss setting up public hearings around the state.

Appalachia Helth News

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, with support from the Marshall Health, Charleston Area Medical Center and WVU Medicine.