Public Worker Insurance Costs Rising

TRENTON, N.J. - Health insurance premiums for many New Jersey public workers could soar in 2010.

State pension and benefits director Fred Beaver says the state will need to raise premiums 23 percent for school district employees, 18 percent for county and municipal workers, and 11 percent for state government employees.

Most of the costs would be paid by the government rather than the workers.

Some 800,000 public workers and retirees are in state-provided health plans.

The state used cash reserves to keep premium increases down in the past. But that's not possible now with a budget crunch.

Town state commissions are to vote on the rates on July 22.

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Information from: The Star-Ledger, http://www.nj.com/starledger