subject: County delays decision on health-care provider [print this page] Author: Rick Lewis Author: Rick Lewis
The Osceola Board of Commissioners had said at its Dec. 1 meeting that at its next meeting, it would decide on an employee health insurance provider.
That didnt happen.
After listening during the past two months to presentations from three agencies - Cadillac Insurance Agency, Employee Benefit Solutions and Lerner-Csernai-Fath Financial Group - the board heard Tuesday from the countys present carrier, Hinkle-Witbeck Agency.
Agent Ruth Ann Northon recommended the county stay with her agency. The commissioners appeared receptive but asked her to provide information on different deductibles and co-pays. This then raised the question of whether the previous presenters shouldnt be asked to provide new quotes.
Commissioner Dave Brooks, who owns Reed Citys Farm Bureau insurance agency - which is not competing for the business, said he had reviewed the other three proposals and concluded that the difference between them is the difference in the cost of the third-party administrator.The one with the lowest fee is Cadillac Insurance Agency," he said.
Brooks added Hinkle-Witbeck is the only one of the agencies headquartered in Osceola County.
"The county health insurance is probably one of the larger accounts for them," he said. "I dont want to see us close up another business."
Health-care premiums for the county are expected to exceed $1 million in 2010.
Brooks said he did not favor delaying the decision for another three weeks.
"We need to know now just who well be dealing with," he said.
The policy renewal date is Feb. 1, 2010.
County Clerk Karen Bluhm cautioned the commissioners that there are dangers in postponing a decision to the next meeting.
"It takes four to six weeks just to get the cards made up and in the employees hands," she said. "Im worried that if we delay, were going to be forced to keep what we have and wont be able to generate any savings for another year."
The announced rate increase for Blue Cross/Blue Shield is 9.8 percent and will take effect on the renewal date. The county has been exploring increasing deductibles and co-pays to generate a premium savings that will go into a special fund to make up the difference to the employees.
Bluhm said by using those options, employee benefits "definitely would not" suffer.
She also told commissioners that "if (delaying means) we have employees who are unhappy because they cant get service, Im going to be handing them your telephone numbers."
Bluhm said she has a major concern about the accessibility of the third-party administrator.
"We were dealing with one on in the Thumb area a few years ago, and it was a nightmare," she said.About the Author:
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