State will pay hike in SC employees’ health care costs

The state will pick up the tab for the rising costs of health care for state employees next year.

The S.C. Fiscal Accountability Authority on Tuesday approved the state's paying a 0.8 percent increase in the premium costs of the state health plan, passing on none of that cost to state employees.

Under the changes, the state's contribution to a state employee's health plan will rise to $363 from $360 a month for the employee alone. For an employee’s entire family, the state will pay $900 monthly, up from $893 last year.

A state employee's monthly health care premium will remain the same as this year’s contribution rates – almost $98 a month for the employee only and almost $307 monthly for a family.

State lawmakers and budget officials agreed to pick up rising health care costs as state employees are being asked to pay more for their retirement plans.

This story was originally published August 23, 2016 at 2:21 PM with the headline "State will pay hike in SC employees’ health care costs."