State workers who smoke will pay more for insurance
By NANCY BADERTSCHER, JAMES SALZER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 05/12/05

Teachers and other state employees who smoke will have to pay $40 a month more for health insurance starting July 1.

Employees are fuming over the surcharge, which hits state workers, public school teachers and their families who admit to smoking or using tobacco in the past 12 months.

Laurie Reid, a secretary with the Board of Pardons and Paroles and a smoker, said her insurance was jumping from $74 to $117 a month.

"That's a lot of money for many state employees," she said. "Our hands are tied. We have to have health insurance. What are we to do?"

About 650,000 people are on the state health insurance plan.