UM Drops ball on health insurance

U-M drops the ball on health insurance

Two things are particularly disturbing about the University of Michigan’s recent decision to force their employees to pay more for health insurance (U-M staff will share health cost,” Sept. 12).

First, although U-M’s Barbara Butterfield suggests that the “executive officers” deserve a more thorough look at the changes, the university has not included any representation of most employees in these unilateral decisions. The committee charged with recommendations includes no employees below the status of associate professor. This excludes the vast majority of U-M employees.

Second, and perhaps more disturbing, is the realization that one of the most extraordinary institutions of research and education in this country could come up with no better solution to rising health care costs than to force their employees to pay more. I expect greater ideas to come from the university, and hope that in the future they show more courage and creativity in facing this health care crisis.

The university has the resources to be a leader for change. Instead, they have conceded defeat by sacrificing the pocketbooks of their employees to protect their own bottom line.