The Tobacco Use Surcharge, which requires all state employees who use tobacco products to pay an extra $50 a month in health care premiums, will be postponed until Jan. 1, 2011.
Joe Burchfield, a public information officer for the State of Tennessee, said the reason for its postponement has not been formally revealed, but State Representative John Litz, the sponsor of the legislation, has been quoted, saying it's because of a bad economy.
"Some legislators felt like that adding a $50 surcharge at this point in time, given the economy, was not the right thing to do," Burchfield said.
The MTSU Human Resource Services Web site said the Tobacco Use Surcharge and Quitter's Refund program was scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2010, and would charge all state employees who were considered tobacco users after July 2009.
An amendment to delay it passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, said Wendy Brown, a benefits specialist for the MTSU Department of Human Resources. The bill was sent to Gov. Phil Bredesen Thursday for his signature.
Senate Bill 0205, the formal title of the piece of legislation, was signed into law by the governor's office on June 25. It was formalized through both houses of Congress by June 19.
The postponement will not change the program, but it gives smokers more time to quit, Batey said. They have until July 1, 2010, to stop smoking before the surcharge will apply to them on January 2011.
Employees who quit after July will still be able to request a refund for the premiums they pay, which once applied, are "locked in for a year," Batey said. Smokers will also have access to smoking cessation seminars and medications.
"The State Insurance Committee voted to continue funding support of the Tobacco Quit Products [patches, lozenges, gum, etc.] being offered at $5 co-pays until Dec. 31, 2009," Batey said in an e-mail to MTSU employees. "Jan. 1, 2010, the co-pays will return to normal and the over-the-counter products will not be covered."
More information for the Tobacco Use Surcharge and its effect on state employees at MTSU can be found on the MTSU Human Resource Services Web site, hrs.web.mtsu.edu.
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