​​

Health Care Premium Increase


​$25,981,000​​​​​​

The California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) administers CSU employee health care benefits. Health care premiums are shared between the CSU and its employees, with the CSU funding a significant portion of the costs. The 2020-21 CSU budget plan includes $26 million to fund the base increase in employer-paid health care costs resulting from changes in premiums effective January 2020. The following chart indicates the Government Code (employer-paid) health care contribution increases from 2015 through 2020:

Government Code Health Care Monthly Employer Contribution Rates​

​Eligible Dependents ​ ​2015 ​​​2016​ ​2​​017​ ​2018​ ​2​019​2020
​Five-Y​ear Increase ​
​​​ %​​​​​​ ​$​
​Employee Only
​$655
​$705
​$707
​$725
​$734
$767​
17.1%
​$112
​Employee + 1 dependent
$1,246​
​$1,343
​$1,349
​$1,377
​$1,398
​$1,461
​17.3%
​$215
​Employee + 2 or more
$1,605​
​$1,727
​$1,727
​$1,766
​$1,788​$1,868
​16.4%
​​$263

 

The CSU is governed by Government Code Section 22871 that defines the way employer-paid health care contribution rates are calculated. Either through policy or collective bargaining agreement, the CSU covers health care costs for represented and non-represented employees up to an amount equivalent to the established Government Code rates, with the exception of Unit 6 (Skilled Crafts), which bargained for CSU employer health contribution rates slightly above Government Code rates.

The total increase in CSU health care costs due to contribution changes during this five-year period is more than $81 million.

Five-Year Increase in Health Care Costs

Calend​ar Year​
(Contract Period)​
Government Code Health​ 
(Employer-Paid Budget Increase)
CSU Annualized Health Care
Budget Increase​
2016
7.7%
​35,080,000
2017
0.2%
912,000
2018
2.3%
12,029,000
2019
1.3%
7,034,000
​2020
4.5%​
25,981,000​
5-Year Increase in CSU Health Care Cos​ts:
​$81,306,000

​ 

The 2020-21 budget request funds permanent base budget costs associated with January 2020 employer health care premium increases. The CSU must absorb approximately $13 million during 2019-20 to fund the one-time costs related to the January 2020 premium increases for the six-month period from January-June 2020.​