The PEIA Finance Board has bumped up the tiers for the insurance program by $2,700 to ensure that raises public employees recently received won’t be deteriorated by corresponding out-of-pocket healthcare cost increases.

PEIA is unique in that it is based on ability to pay, with 10 salary tiers throughout the system.

The board also received continued good news about the insurance program’s finances — a significant surplus for the current fiscal year and a projected surplus for the coming fiscal year.

Despite the good financial news right now, PEIA director Ted Cheatham said the Task Force shouldn’t take its focus off long-term stability for PEIA.