Rochester Regional Health paused employee open enrollment after major pushback over steep 2026 health insurance premium hikes, according to WHAM.
The health system eliminated its lowest-cost plan and introduced salary-based premiums—raising some costs by hundreds per pay period. Affected employees, including nurses, slammed the move as unaffordable and demoralizing. Band 1 workers saw a jump from $6 to $64, while Band 5 family plans soared past $1,200.
After pressure from the nurses’ union and staff, RRH leadership delayed enrollment to “review and determine next steps.”
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