State premium costs reach nearly $1.9M for 10 lawmakers

Tennessee taxpayers have paid more than $200,000 in health insurance premiums for state Sen. Rusty Crowe and his family since 1992, according to new records obtained by The Tennessean.

The Johnson City Republican topped the list for sitting lawmakers with the most state money going toward health insurance premiums. The new records show taxpayers have spent more than $8 million on health insurance premiums for sitting lawmakers enrolled in the state insurance plan since 1992.

The top 10 lawmakers account for $1.9 million — nearly a quarter of the taxpayer funding spent on state health insurance premiums for sitting lawmakers since 1992. Out of the 116 sitting lawmakers currently enrolled in the plan, only 45 were in office and enrolled in the plan before 2008, according to state records.

The state has paid more toward premiums for Crowe and other lawmakers who have served longer and were enrolled in the family plan for the bulk of their careers. Sitting lawmakers enrolled in the plan have paid nearly $1.9 million toward premiums since 1992.

Those dollar amounts are likely a fraction of the actual cost of lawmaker health care paid for by the state. The new records only show the amount the state and sitting lawmakers paid for premiums going back to 1992, the first year the state began keeping the records in a digital form.

The records do not show the amount the state paid for the total cost of health care provided to sitting lawmakers or enrolled family members, nor do they show the amount the state paid for premiums or total health care for lawmakers who were in the General Assembly at some point since 1992 but are no longer in office.

The Tennessean obtained the records through a public information request and after paying $885.14 to the state Benefits Administration Monday. The administration requested $622.20 to fulfill the first portion of the request, which showed the state paid nearly $5.8 million toward health insurance premiums for sitting lawmakers since 2008.

First elected in 1990, records show Crowe has remained on the state's family insurance plan since at least 1992. He contributed more than $48,100 toward those premiums during his tenure.

Crowe gained attention and criticism during debates earlier this year over Insure Tennessee, Gov. Bill Haslam's controversial health insurance proposal. Initially considered a supporter, Crowe voted against the plan during a special legislative session after it was clear the committee he served on would kill the proposal. During the regular legislative session, Crowe voted in support of the proposal before it died again in a different committee.

A spokeswoman for Senate Republicans didn't return a request for comment Monday. Crowe never responded to a request for comment in mid-April when asked about the costs of his health insurance plan.

Taxpayers spent almost $200,000 on premiums for House Speaker Beth Harwell, R-Nashville, enrolled in the state insurance family plan since 1994. A member of the House since 1988, Harwell was enrolled in the single employee insurance plan from 1992 to 1994, according to available state records. The state hasn't provided documents to show if she was enrolled from 1988 to 1992. She's contributed $49,200 toward her health insurance plans.

Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, R-Blountville, also made the top 10 list. Taxpayers contributed $187,800 toward his premiums since 1993. Ramsey paid $45,000 on his premiums during that time. First elected to serve in the House in 1992, Ramsey remained on the family plan from 1993 until 2010, when he switched to a plan that covers himself and his wife.

A spokeswoman for Harwell and a spokesman for Ramsey didn't respond to requests for comment.

Nashville Rep. Sherry Jones, first elected in 1994, is the Democrat who received the most state funds toward insurance premiums. Enrolled in the family plan since 1995, taxpayers spent $192,200 on her insurance premiums. She was one of five Democrats in the top 10.

State law says legislators can't be paid to work more than 90 legislative days in two years, but there is an exemption that makes them eligible for the same health insurance benefits as full-time state employees. Currently, that means the state pays roughly 80 percent of an employee's health insurance premiums and the employee — including lawmakers — pays roughly 20 percent. Joan Williams, a spokeswoman for the state Benefits Administration, didn't respond to a question about whether that ratio has changed since 1992.

Lawmakers also work in committee sessions and with constituents on days when the full General Assembly doesn't meet. They're eligible for per diem benefits those days, in addition to their regular salary and $1,000 monthly payment.

After serving one term — two years in the House or four years in the Senate — lawmakers are also eligible to remain enrolled in that insurance plan until they die. Their spouses and eligible children can remain on the plan after a lawmaker dies.

Records for lawmakers on the family plan from 1992 to 2008 don't specify if that lawmaker was enrolled with his or her spouse, children or the entire family. The Tennessean continues to seek public documents about the cost of health insurance for state lawmakers.

Reach Dave Boucher at 615-259-8892 and on Twitter @Dave_Boucher1.

Premium costs for top 10 most expensive lawmakers

Tennessee taxpayers contributed nearly $1.9 million to the health insurance premiums of 10 lawmakers since 1992. The lawmakers represent some of the longest serving at the General Assembly and almost one-quarter of all the taxpayer-funded premiums for the 116 sitting lawmakers enrolled in the state insurance plan. Here's a look at the top 10:

*Note: State records only go back to 1992, but there's a chance some of these lawmakers were enrolled in the plan before 1992.

Source: Tennessee Benefits Administration