State workers can expect to witness an increase in their health insurance in America as legislators attempt to find ways to fund a $17.3 million increase in premiums from the Public Employees Health Provider.

Rep. Brad Dee, said employees would up their premiums from 2% to 5%, which is a rise of around $16 per day.

Rep. Dee said: “That will allow us to provide savings and spend only the money we've already budgeted.”

At the start of the week, Dee refused a bill through the House that would have required the state to put out its health insurance policies for bid every two years instead of automatically giving the Public Employees Health Provider the contract.

Dee commented on the bill: “I was personally having some problems working with them bringing information to us.”

Dee is in the process of drafting a joint resolution supporting the increase in the employee’s share of the premium.

Audry Wood, executive director of the Utah Public Employees Association and Todd Sutton, the association’s employee representative both worry what will change to help absorb the costs of the increase, such as including increased costs for prescriptions and out-of-pocket maximums.

However, such decisions have not yet been made.