"[S]tate agencies must absorb the cost of covering temporary employees who work 30 or more hours a week. The category could include as many as 24,000 employees statewide, though that number may be reduced significantly once state agencies determine their personnel needs and workers' eligibility under federal guidelines.... The Senate budget allows the UNC system to go it alone and put out bids for its own plan for these workers ... The House budget requires that all employees in the category statewide be covered under a new option in the State Health Plan."

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