The proposal to offer retiree dental and vision coverage was originally contained within the supplemental budget filed by Governor Paul Cellucci in January. After discussions with Association officials, House Ways and Means Chairman Paul Haley (D-Weymouth) opted to include the proposal in his Fiscal Year 2001 annual budget recommendation.

Haley, with the backing of House Speaker Thomas Finneran, took Cellucci’s proposal one step further and added $150,000 for the GIC to study and construct the retiree plan. GIC officials had sought the funding to allow for the proper ground work to be laid before implementing the coverage.

“We are certainly thankful for the strong bi-partisan support we have received on this issue. For the governor and the House leadership to have acted so promptly on a relatively new concept speaks to how seriously they take this issue,” said Association Legislative Liaison Shawn Duhamel.

Coverage Details Unknown

Our Association’s legislative team has high hopes that the Senate will see fit to include the plan in their budget, which is expected to be completed by mid-May. If the plan survives in conference committee between the House and Senate, it should end up on Governor Cellucci’s desk by late June.

At this early stage the details of how the plan will be designed, the monthly premiums, and benefit levels remain unknown. Under our proposal, the GIC must report back to the Administration and the Legislature with a preliminary overview of the plan design within ninety days of the law’s passage. Therefore, our first glimpse into the specifics of the benefit won’t come until late September.