NJ police union clashes with Horizon as health premiums skyrocket
🔴 Health plans for NJ cops increase 50% in 3 years
🔴 NJPBA president blames Horizon for the jump
🔴 Horizon says PBA deserves better leadership
Tens of thousands of New Jersey police officers are feeling the squeeze of rising health insurance premiums.
Peter Andreyev, president of the state Police Benevolent Association, says he blames Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey for rates increasing by 50% in three years for the NJPBA's 32,000 members.
Andreyev said the insurer refuses to work with the State Health Benefits Plan Design Committee to keep costs down and instead chases profits.
"Rather than work to provide quality health coverage at reasonable prices they insist on hiding behind claims that their operations are “corporate secrets” that can’t be disclosed. Their refusal to face public scrutiny while raking in taxpayer money makes it impossible to know what we are truly paying for our healthcare needs," said Andreyev.
Horizon says PBA deserves better leadership
But Horizon doesn't have any role in setting rates for the SHBP plan, according to company spokesman Thomas Wilson. The PBA knows this, Wilson said in a statement to New Jersey 101.5.
"Their statement includes false and misleading assertions and it’s unfortunate that the PBA’s leadership would issue such inaccurate and deceptive claims. Their members and New Jersey’s taxpayers deserve better," said Wilson
Touting that Horizon is New Jersey's only not-for-profit health insurer, Wilson said that more than 95% of active public employees covered by the SHBP are insured with Horizon.
What's driving state health plan costs higher?
According to an analysis published by consultant AON in July, SHBP rates are going up again in 2025.
The primary driver is "higher-than-expected claim cost trends," the report says. More active public employees are using high-priced prescription weight loss drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic.
Spending on weight loss drugs increased 160% in 2023. Overall prescription drug claims were nearly 12% greater than expected.
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