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School groups to announce support for Dillon plan

By Mark Bashore, WKAR Radio

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-851628.mp3

EAST LANSING, MI – A number of educational organizations in Michigan will announce their support Tuesday for a controversial proposal to change health insurance for the state's public employees.

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The proposal from Democratic House Speaker Andy Dillon would put the state's 400,000 current and former public employees under one health insurance system. The Michigan Association of School Boards is among a dozen organizations in favor of the plan. Don Wotruba is the association's deputy director.

"To not have an open-minded conversation on what could happen if we went to a statewide healthcare system for all state employees and local employees is just short-sighted," he says.

Dillon claims the proposal would save between $700-900 million. Skeptics--which include Governor Jennifer Granholm--doubt the plan would save that much. They also say state employees have already made significant benefit concessions.

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