Health care insurance premiums to rise

For rail employees covered under the health and welfare provisions of the national railroad agreement, health care insurance cost contributions rise beginning Jan. 1, from the current $170.96 per month to $200 monthly, owing to increases in health care costs under the plan.

The carrier monthly payment rate for other than on-duty injury health care insurance also will rise Jan. 1, from $1073.76 per employee per month to $1,273.41 per month. Carriers pay 100 percent of the plan’s administration costs.

The 15 percent of health care insurance costs for medical, dental and vision benefits paid by employees in 2010 will reach the 2010 monthly cap on employee health care insurance contributions. Without that cap, employee costs per month would be higher in 2010.

Owing to the rise in health care costs nationwide, the national rail plan’s health care costs will rise by 18.8 percent in 2010 compared with 2009, while costs of the dental plan will rise by 1.8 percent, and the vision plan by 2.5 percent.