At yesterday's Public Employees Benefits Board meeting, they voted to raise out-of-pocket health care costs for the 336,000 state employees state employees, teachers and retirees come January. For state employees signed-up with the state's health-insurance policy Health Care Authority, half of the medical plans' premiums will increase (some retiree plans won't change). The hardest hit group will be state employees of higher-education institutions, community and technical colleges, who will see their premiums rise the most as some co-pays and deductibles are expected to be double. Ouch! more ›