Raleigh, NC – This morning, the Board of Trustees of the North Carolina State Health Plan will vote on a proposal to raise health care premiums on public workers, including public school employees, in order to fill a projected $500 million deficit. According to State Health Plan officials in the Treasurer’s Office, the dramatically rising cost of health insurance is to blame and could grow the deficit to over a billion dollars by 2027.
The North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) is opposed to raising employee premiums, believing that state lawmakers should contribute more to the plan, especially in the face of a growing vacancy crisis in public schools and across state agencies.
Health Plan Trustees will hear public comment this morning before the vote. Below are the prepared remarks that NCAE President Tamika Walker Kelly will deliver at the meeting:
Good morning, Trustees.
My name is Tamika Walker Kelly, and I come to you not only as the President of the North Carolina Association of Educators, but as an elementary music school teacher and a voice for the thousands of educators and staff working across this state.
Today, I urge you to oppose the plan to increase health care premiums for state employees. Considering the state of educator pay in North Carolina, asking them to shoulder higher health care costs is not only unfair—it’s unsustainable.
Raising premiums means some employees—bus drivers, cafeteria workers, teaching assistants, and even teachers—will have to make impossible choices. For many, this could be the final push out of the profession entirely.
We are already facing a critical staffing shortage. More than 8,000 school positions were vacant at the start of this year, and one in five teachers left the classroom over the past two years. If we increase costs for those who stay, how will we fill the gaps? Who will be there for our students?
This decision isn’t just about numbers on a spreadsheet—it’s about the people who keep our schools and state services running. It’s about the children in our classrooms who depend on consistent, caring adults to support their learning and growth.
I understand the financial challenges that you are facing as fiduciaries of the State Health Plan—but let’s be clear: this burden shouldn’t fall on the backs of underpaid public employees. The legislature and our health plan partners must be asked to do more.
We can’t fix a budget issue by creating a human crisis.
Vote no on the premium increases today and send a much stronger call to the state lawmakers that they need to do more for state workers. It is the perfect time. The House and Senate have released their budgets, and it's time to negotiate the final deal. The health of the State Health Plan and the future of state services, especially public schools, should be at the top of the list of priorities.
Raising premiums on state employees today absolves lawmakers of their responsibility and fails to protect the future of the State of North Carolina. Make a bigger ask of state lawmakers first. Working with the legislature, we can find a solution that protects our workforce and the students and communities we serve.
Thank you.
