The monthly Calhoun County Retired School Employees meeting was held Wednesday, October 27 at the Calhoun County Committee on Aging, Senior Center.

WV PEIA Insurance representative, Perry Bryant, spoke to the group concerning increasing health care costs over the next five years.

A Petition for PEIA Reform is located at the CCCOA for anyone wanting to sign.

The petition states:

We, the undersigned, support the WVEA (West Virginia Education Association) in calling for the West Virginia Legislature to repeal the 80-20 legislation which requires employees to pay 20% of the total PEIA premium.

We urge the Governor to propose this legislative reform in his State of the State Address at the beginning of the 2006 legislative session.

PEIA presently has reserves in nearly $180 million. It is unjust to raise employee premiums by 22% and retiree premiums by 17% while only increasing the employer's share by 1%.

Retired employees attending were, Willadene Poling-President, Bernice Stump, Burl Simmers, Duane Poling, Marvin Starcher, Irene Conrad, Joy Starcher, Glenna Fleming, Loris Jarvis.