Rochester, N.Y. (WHAM) — Rochester Regional Health System has paused open enrollment for employees after it received a flood criticism over new health premium plans for 2026.
“We create the health care in this community. We should also be able to take care of ourselves and our families as well,” said Phoebe Sheehan, a registered nurse and treasurer of Rochester Union of Nurses and Allied Professionals.
Sheehan is concerned about the spike in insurance premiums for her colleagues at RRH. The health system sent out notices last week telling employees it was dropping its lowest health plan and moving to a premium system based on salary.
BACKGROUND: Rochester Regional Health employees hit with ‘demoralizing’ health insurance premiums
“There has been so much frustration in the hospital, both from, of course, the nurses union, but also from all of our other interdisciplinary team members,” said Sheehan.
Under the new system, fulltime Band 1 employees pay at least $64 for the lowest plan known as a Consumer-Driven Health Plan, a drastic increase from the previous $6 charge. Meanwhile, fulltime Band 5 employees with families pay over $1,200 per pay period for a copay plan, an increase from $355 dollars. Since nurses are in a union, they’re protected from some increases and considered band one regardless of pay.
“I think that the only right answer is to return to what we had in past years,” Sheehan said. “So the three plan system that was the same across the board.”
After receiving feedback from employees about the higher premiums, RUNAP said RRH CEO Chip David sent an email to employees Sunday announcing open enrollment was delayed for a few days “to give us time to fully review and determine next steps.”
“I think that it was encouragement that employees standing up together can make a difference,” said Sheehan.
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RUNAP fears if RRH doesn’t make changes to the proposed premium, employees will leave the health system. The union believes health premium increases should be capped at 6% each year.
