Educators demand action on the health care cost crisis
For more information, contact:
CHRIS WILLIAMS
651-292-4816 (work)
651-247-5539 (cell)
ST. PAUL, Minnesota. March 18, 2026 – Educators from across Minnesota gathered at the Capitol on Wednesday to demand a structural fix to the health insurance affordability crisis that is pushing out educators and consuming historic state investments in public education before they reach most classrooms.
As part of this day of action, educators joined state lawmakers for a press conference outlining the crisis and a proposed solution through legislation (S.F. 2909/H.F. 2904) that would create a statewide insurance pool for all Minnesota educators, known as the Educator Group Insurance Program, or EGIP.
A statewide pool would:
- Create greater purchasing and bargaining power—the state negotiates rates for care and prescriptions.
- Provide stable, predictable premiums—no more extreme year-to-year swings.
- Spread risk across a larger group, smoothing out cost volatility.
- Eliminate costly district-level brokers and third-party administrators—saving millions of dollars annually.
Quotes from press conference speakers:
“Across the state, we are seeing year-to-year rates explode: 30% in Mankato, 34% in Lyle, 49% proposed in Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa, 54% in New Ulm. When a serious illness hits one of these small pools, costs spiral — and there is no cushion.
“On the other side, UnitedHealth Group paid its CEO $26 million last year and returned $16 billion to shareholders. The CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota got a 34% raise last year, taking home $4.3 million, while passing costs on to the very school districts and educators it insures.”
– Monica Byron, president, Education Minnesota
“From teachers to bus drivers, our school workers ensure our kids have access to a world-class education. A statewide health insurance plan for Minnesota school workers would lower costs, cut waste and provide better, more reliable coverage for everyone.”
– Rep. Liz Reyer (DFL – Eagan/ Burnsville)
“The problem is structural. Minnesota has more than 330 school districts, each negotiating separately, each a small buyer in a market that rewards large ones. The giant insurance companies know this. And educators pay for it every year in higher premiums, crazy deductibles and narrowing coverage.”
– Sen. Mary Kunesh (DFL – New Brighton)
“A year ago, my son got sick. After two lethargic days, my gut said take him in — but my husband and I had to ask ourselves: can we afford the $250 urgent care visit? Because of high deductibles and rising premiums, we waited. We hoped it would pass. It didn’t.
After 10 long, terrifying days at Children’s Hospital, with several complications from a ruptured appendix, we were asked to pay our $10,000 deductible upfront. We couldn’t. They suggested $900 a month. We couldn’t do that either. Our son’s life was saved, and we couldn’t pay the bill. To this day, waiting haunts me. I could use therapy to work through that guilt and trauma — but I can’t afford that either.”
–Amanda Kottke, science teacher, Glencoe–Silver Lake School District
“Many education support professionals opt out of employer-sponsored insurance entirely because it is simply unaffordable. Some go without coverage altogether. Others rely on state programs just to get by. Meanwhile, healthcare costs rise by 70 to 80%, while wages increase only marginally, if at all. This forces impossible decisions—between our health and our housing, between staying in a profession we love and finding work that allows us to survive.”
– Michelle Dennard, education support professional, Osseo Public Schools
“This school year, premiums for our self-insured plan increased by an average of 22%. For families, that meant $400 to $700 more per month. To put that in perspective: a 2% raise amounts to roughly $1,000 to $2,000 per year. One insurance increase wiped it out entirely. And we’re already expecting another double-digit increase next year.
When Anoka Hennepin, a self-insured district with an 86-million-dollar budget for health insurance, can’t weather a series of high claims, it’s clear we need a new system.”
– John Wolhaupter, president, Anoka-Hennepin Education Minnesota
More than 150 educators from across Minnesota participated in this day of action, including testifying in support of the legislation and meeting with more than 100 lawmakers in person. Thousands more educators who could not attend in person sent emails or made phone calls to their legislators demanding action. Current efforts to introduce and explain this proposal to lawmakers are critical to full passage in next year’s budget session.
About Education Minnesota
Education Minnesota is the voice for professional educators and students. Education Minnesota’s members include teachers and education support professionals in Minnesota’s public school districts, faculty members at Minnesota’s community and technical colleges and University of Minnesota campuses in Duluth and Crookston, retired educators and student teachers. Education Minnesota is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association and AFL-CIO.
