The Florida House is going to require its members to start paying more for health insurance.
House members and other top state officials have been paying as little as $8.43 per month for individual coverage and $30 for family coverage. Starting in January, House members enrolled in the state's health insurance plan will pay the same rate as regular state workers.
The change may have come about when state legislators faced criticism for their low-cost insurance rates, especially when House Republicans rejected to expand medicaid for low income Floridians this spring.
Rep. Dennis K. Baxley (R-District 23) said the change was based on committee discussion and thinks it a positive move forward.
"I'm very much in favor of what the speaker is proposing. We certainly don't want to look as if we have any unfair advantage in the insurance market," he said. "We serve here with the other state employees in our limited role, and it's very important that we send the right message."