Bonnie Luisi, ROSE chair and Lifetime Member of OSEA, was appointed to the Oregon Educators Benefit Board in October. Luisi will draw on decades of experience as a classified educator, union leader and school board member to make decisions that improve health coverage and care for Oregon’s educators.
OEBB provides benefit plans to most of the K-12 school districts, education service districts and community colleges in Oregon. As its governing body, the OEBB Board guides the selection of plans that are available to OEBB members.
“Our first goal is to keep rates stable and provide good coverage across the state,” said Luisi. “We are also looking to the future, thinking of new programs that we can implement and what we want to offer next year and beyond.”
Luisi was nominated for her seat by Hermiston Superintendent Tricia Mooney. As a school board member for the Hermiston School District, Luisi has participated in health plan negotiations. She also helped guide the district’s transition from private insurance to plans offered by OEBB.
Luisi’s experience as a classified educator and OSEA member helps her understand the needs of OEBB members. “When I first started in the district, insurance cost $245 for the month, which was no problem to pay. Now the question is which costs more, insurance or employees’ salaries?” she said. “Forty percent of school employees are either classified or new teachers, all making less than $40,000 a year. That impacts the health coverage decisions that people make.”
OEBB currently provides benefits for nearly 150,000 individuals, including school employees, retirees and their families. Luisi will serve a four-year term on the board.