Politicians in Saskatchewan are divided over whether to accept a health benefit plan they voted unanimously in favour of last year.

The Saskatchewan Party and the New Democrats agreed to a plan that would result in MLAs leaving office at age 50 or older having their health premiums subsidized by the public purse for the rest of their lives.

Former MLAs would receive a 10 per cent subsidy for every year in office. That would mean a number of veteran MLAs would get a 100 per cent subsidy.

Asked about the plan on Thursday, Premier Lorne Calvert said the lack of consensus means it won't go ahead.

"Obviously, the consensus ... no longer exists,"he said. "Therefore the benefits will no longer be there."

The plan was quietly approved by both government and Opposition MLAs at a meeting last December.

However, things changed Wednesday when CBC and the Regina Leader-Post started asking questions about the plan.

Reg Downs, the chief of staff for the Opposition, said Wednesday afternoon that Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall wants to reverse that decision now.

"Frankly, he did not realize at the time that what was being proposed and approved was greater benefits than other government employees received," Downs said.

Earlier, New Democrat MLA Kevin Yates said he didn't believe that.

"This issue not only was debated in the meetings but went back to both caucuses for full discussions," he said. "Anybody who says they didn't clearly understand, is in fact, misleading."

Yates says politicians aren't supposed to set their own wages and benefits anymore, following an independent review of what politicians make.

The Saskatchewan Party says the health benefit plan wasn't part of that review and if politicians could create enhanced health benefits, they can reverse them too.

Liberal Leader David Karwacki, whose party doesn't have elected members, said both of the other parties look bad after getting their hands "caught in the cookie jar.

"They're both the same," he said. "They're the ones that came together and said, 'OK, let's do this,' and apparently, 'Let's try and keep it quiet.' So they fight on the outside, they throw manure back and forth and then when you get inside here, it's just a quiet deal.… 'Let's go feather our nest.'"