State Gov't Retirees May Get Health Insurance Help

Cheyenne, WY – Following a heated debate, the house adopted an amendment Thursday to give retirees from state government an extra $200 a month for health insurance. The amendment came during second reading debate on the state budget bill. The amendment will cost the state over nine million dollars. Majority Floor leader Roy Cohee opposed the amendment saying that even the lowest state employees get a lot of benefits when they working. Cohee also worries that more employees may choose to retire early causing more of a problem. Other opponents thought it was unfair to just help retirees from state government and not those who worked in the private sector and are dealing with similar health insurance problems. But Rock Springs Representative Steve Watt says if state employees have one or two children they may also be on food stamps. Mountain View Republican Owen Peterson also supports the increase, to help people that put their working life into the state. The amendment passed by one vote.