USEP tells Pasco board employees are stretched by 2026 health‑plan changes; union urges collaborative fixes
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Summary
United School Employees of Pasco representative Mr. Larson told the board employees have raised concerns about 2026 health‑plan changes and that USEP and district staff have been visiting worksites to gather feedback; he urged continued collaboration and noted solidarity actions amid efforts in Tallahassee affecting collective bargaining.
A representative of the United School Employees of Pasco told the school board that employees remain concerned about recent changes to the district’s 2026 health‑insurance plan and urged continued collaboration with district staff to improve the plan.
"USEP and district staff have both been traveling to worksites to receive feedback from employees regarding the plan changes that were implemented for 2026," said Mr. Larson, the union representative. He described visits as opportunities to inform employees about cost‑saving resources such as My Health On‑site clinics, GuideWell clinics and Teladoc.
Mr. Larson said union members have taken visible steps to show solidarity — many employees "wore black" recently — and warned that some state actions in Tallahassee could make it harder for public‑sector employees to maintain collective‑bargaining voice.
Board members who spoke during committee reports acknowledged the challenges of rising medical and pharmacy cost trends and noted the district’s insurance committee and consultants will continue to work on mitigation options. Mr. Hernandez summarized committee figures and said the district is using a consultant trend projection of about 9.34% on medical and roughly 11% on pharmacy for planning purposes.
The union asked for continued cooperation with district staff to identify practical changes to the plan and improve communication with employees; the board and staff signaled they will continue committee work and return with recommendations.