New Jersey's Health Benefits Program in Crisis: What's Next?

New Jersey is facing a major problem with its State Health Benefits Program. This program covers nearly 150, 000 county and local government workers. It's running out of money and might collapse next year. Governor Phil Murphy has a plan to save it. He wants to use $260 million from the state to pay off debts and create a reserve fund. But workers will have to pay more for their health insurance. They will also have fewer choices of plans. The cost of premiums has gone up 59% in the last three years. This has caused many counties and towns to leave the program for cheaper options. Now, the program is left with a smaller, sicker group of members. This is making the program's financial situation worse. Governor Murphy announced this plan at a conference for local government officials. He said that if they don't act now, many people will lose access to health care. The plan needs approval from the state Legislature. But time is running out. Murphy will leave office in January, and the next governor will have to deal with this issue. Workers are not happy with the plan. They are used to the state paying most of their insurance costs. The new plan would make them pay much more. For example, a doctor's visit could cost three times as much. Emergency room care could cost four times as much. Some workers say this is not a fair solution. They want the state to address the root causes of the rising health care costs. The state wants to save money by reducing the number of health plans. Workers would have only six plans to choose from instead of 50. The state would also create a new commission to oversee the program. This commission would include municipal employers. The goal is to prevent the program from falling apart. Some lawmakers think this plan could be a starting point for compromise. They agree that changes are needed to control costs and keep the program stable. But they also want to make sure that workers still have good health insurance. The final decision will depend on negotiations between lawmakers, labor leaders, and local government officials.