By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-859403.mp3
LANSING, MI – The director of the state House Fiscal Agency says a statewide health care pool won't solve Michigan's budget problems.
Mitch Beam says if the Legislature passes House Speaker Andy Dillon's plan to pool the health care of all state workers and teachers, the savings will not be reflected in the 2010 budget. And he says it's impossible to know what the actual savings would eventually be without legislation drawn up with specific details.
"So it's important to note that any savings that do accrue - whether it be 900 million, 400 million, 200 million, whatever it happens to be - it's going to be spread out among different levels of government," he says. "So the state of Michigan, quote, will save some money, presumably."
Beam testified for the House Health Care Reform Committee.