Bill H.842 proposes significant changes to the Commission on Public School Employee Health Benefits in Vermont. The bill reduces the number of commission members from ten to nine, with three representatives each from school employees and employers, and adds the Secretary of Education, the Commissioner of Taxes, and a representative from the Vermont School Boards Insurance Trust to the commission. It also establishes that the Secretary of Education will serve as the chair of the commission, limits the number of alternate members to one per appointing authority, and introduces a cap on the actuarial value of health benefit plans at 88 percent. Additionally, the bill outlines specific factors the commission must consider when making determinations regarding health benefits.

Furthermore, the bill modifies the dispute resolution process by allowing the arbitrator to select, modify, or create an award based on the last best offers from the parties involved. It mandates that the Agency of Education contract with a single third-party provider to manage health reimbursement arrangements or health savings accounts for school employees. The changes are set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 16-2102, 16-2103, 16-2105, 16-2108