Carbon County changes health care plan

The Carbon County Commission unanimously voted to approve changes to its health insurance plan for county employees to off-set budget shortfalls in the 2013/2014 fiscal year.

The change, which will go into effect January, means higher deductibles, the addition of medical co-pays, higher prescription co-pays and the addition of a wellness program which awards those on the plan.

“I feel these are substantial changes to the insurance and they will affect all employees, especially those on tight budgets, especially in light of the fact employees did not receive a raise this year,” said Carbon County Clerk Gwynn Bartlett. “I think the Commissioners felt it was time that some changes needed to be made for some cost savings to the county and it is important to note that the county still has a good benefit package overall and that no positions were cut this fiscal year.”

On Aug. 6, Cobecon, the county’s broker for health insurance, spoke with Carbon County Commissioners in its regular meeting. Representatives presented data showing Carbon County spent more in health insurance in areas, including large claims.

Overall, Carbon County pays about $2.6 million into health insurance each year.

Carbon County is partially self-insured and will pay claims up to $45,000 before Carbon County’s carrier picks up the cost.

Sales representative for Cobecon Rob Henderson, said the county could save some money in claims.

Henderson said people who made a claim that exceeds $22,500 is high. There are about 19 people on the plan who have a claim that exceeds $22,500. “What we have tried to do for Carbon County over the last several years is shrink that list,” he said. “Typically, a group the size of Carbon County has half of what is on the list.”

Cobecon representatives recommend Carbon County change its plan in a number of ways, including raising deductibles, adding medical co-pays, raising other co-pays and adding a wellness program that offers incentives to employees on the plan.

After long discussion and some audience concern, commissioners unanimously voted to adopt the changes. The changes will go into affect Jan. 1, 2014.

One who had a concern was Cal Rerucha, who was in the audience section Aug. 6.

“For a mother who is trying to make ends meet, she is going to have to make a choice. The choice is going to be ‘Am I going to pay the rent or am I going to take care of my medical problems,’” Rerucha said in the meeting. “We should never, ever get in a situation where a single mother has to choose between feeding her family and housing that family properly, or providing medical care.”

Carbon County Commission Chairman Leo Chapman said he voted to adopt the changes because of budget cuts the county faced due to dropping revenue from sales tax and other revenue streams.

“The point is we have a budget that asked us to take $5.5 million out of last year’s expenditures,” Chapman said in the meeting before voting. “If we don’t do something pretty damn soon, we won’t have an insurance policy for any of our employees.”

Chapman said the new Commission-approved plan is still good, but not as good as before.

“In every sense of the word, it is still a Cadillac plan, but it wasn’t the Cadillac plan it was,” Chapman said.

 

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