New Haven Teachers Seek Health Insurance Shift Amid Contract Negotiations

The New Haven teachers union is advocating for a shift of educators' health insurance to the state health plan to reduce healthcare costs and improve affordability. Over 100 educators and supporters attended a Board of Education meeting to support this proposal, citing concerns about high deductibles, out-of-pocket expenses, and stagnant wages that do not keep pace with inflation. Educators described scenarios of avoiding medical care due to costs and taking on medical debt, which affect both recruitment and retention in the district. Meanwhile, the Mayor and Board members counter that moving to the state plan would be prohibitively expensive and disrupt the existing parity of health benefits shared by all city employees. Cost analysis shows the city pays about $40.8 million for its current four-tier health plan, while the state plan is estimated at $41.1 million, leading officials to view the switch as financially unfeasible under current budgets. The city has been receiving millions in prescription rebates annually, which are reinvested to offset employee healthcare costs, but educators argue these savings have not translated into lower deductibles or out-of-pocket expenses for teachers. The negotiations are part of a broader teacher contract discussion with a deadline before arbitration in December 2025 and focus on other contract issues including salary competitiveness, caseload caps, and working conditions. City officials highlight chronic underfunding from the state as the root cause of limited budget flexibility for education funding and employee benefits. Educators stress that healthcare affordability is critical to maintaining the workforce and demand fairness in health and salary provisions to avoid losing teachers to other districts with more competitive compensation and benefits. The ongoing negotiation will affect health insurance options, financial burdens on staff, and could influence teacher retention and recruitment strategies in New Haven public schools.