Answers to Questions about Governor's Cost-Shifting Proposal

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to questions about Governor Maura Healey's proposal to underfund the health insurance that public employees receive through the state’s Group Insurance Commission plans.

What is the GIC considering?

Increasing co-pays for office visits and, visits to specialists, increasing employee deductibles, and eliminating GLP-1 coverage for weight loss.

Is the GIC considering eliminating GLP-1 coverage for diabetes?

Our understanding is that the GIC is considering eliminating GLP-1 coverage for weight loss only, not diabetes.

Why is the GIC considering increasing employee copays?

GIC insurance providers pay for the costs of health care. The insurance companies charge a premium to cover the costs. The employer pays a percentage of the premium (75 percent in many cases). Employees pay a percentage of the premium (25 percent in many cases). As health insurance costs increase, insurance companies increase the total premium. The employer pays its share of the premium.

Insurance companies can reduce premium increases by making plan design changes. Plan design changes affect employee copays and deductibles (out-of-pocket expenses that you pay when you actually use health care.) Employees pay 100 percent of the copays and deductibles. The employer doesn’t pay anything for the increased plan design changes.

So, the employer (i.e. the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or a municipality) can reduce its premium costs by shifting copay and deductible costs onto employees.

Who makes this decision?

The governor proposes a budget for the GIC. If the governor adequately funds the GIC budget to pay for premiums, the GIC would not increase employee copays and deductibles.

The GIC commissioners vote on the plan design. If the governor does not adequately fund the GIC budget, GIC commissioners could vote to keep the plan design as is.

The state Legislature ultimately votes on the budget. If state legislators adequately fund the GIC budget to pay for premiums, the GIC would not increase employee copays and deductibles.

Is my school district in the GIC?

Here's the list of participating municipalities: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/gic-participating-municipalities.

Our school district does not get its health insurance from the GIC. Does this still affect us?

Yes. Under state law (Ch. 32B, s.21-23), a municipality or joint purchasing group may increase employee copays and deductibles up to the GIC benchmark plan. So, what the GIC does affects all municipalities – municipal employers implement the same changes.

What can we do about it?

Educate your members, family and friends and ask them to get involved.

Here are some actions you can take in your local:

Hold a 10-minute meeting (Script for GIC locals).
Hold a 10-minute meeting (Script for non-GIC locals).
Visit the resources and actions outlined on the MTA's campaign page at massteacher.org/handsoffourhealthcare.

Ask your co-workers, family and friends to take these actions:

Email Governor Healey and tell her to protect public employees' health insurance: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/take-action-to-protect-health-care-for-public-employees/.
Sign up to attend one of three GIC listening sessions. Make sure the members of the Group Insurance Commission know that we are paying attention. Links to all three sessions in January are posted here: https://www.mass.gov/event/2026-annual-public-information-sessions-01-27-2026.