The South Carolina State Budget and Control Board will increase health insurance premiums for those participating in the state health insurance plan by a total of nine percent, which will be spread equally between employees and employers, with each paying 4.5 percent more. This increase translates to families paying $143 more a year for health insurance. The state’s health plan insures close to ten percent of the population and includes employees, retirees and their families. In addition to state employees, the plan also covers teachers and some employees for local governments and school districts. Governor Nikki Haley stated that state insurance premiums were increased to not only add money to the insurance plan’s reserves, but also to satisfy ratings agencies who have threatened to downgrade the state’s credit.
