County will seek health insurance rate hikes
As it continues discussions with the provider of health insurance for county employees, a Fayette County Board committee warns about a significant increase in premiums.
Dean Bernhardt of the insurance and personnel committee told board members on Tuesday night that the committee has negotiated the upcoming increase down from 29.2 percent to 26.44.
He said the committee, which also includes board Chairman Steve Knebel and John Daniels Jr., will continue talks with Blue Cross Blue Shield on employees’ coverage for the coming year, and explained that the new rates are based on past claims filed by the county.
Bernhardt said that one issue is prescription drugs. “They said that our prescription drugs are way out of line,” Bernhardt said, noting that the committee has urged employees to use generic drugs whenever possible.
He also noted that the pending increase is substantially lower than the 54-percent hike in rates last year, when the county board decided to go with higher deductibles.
Two board members said they believe that the county will look at a couple of factors in the future.
B.J. Wilhour said he feels the county board will have to look at caps for the county’s contributions to the employees’ health insurance coverage.
After Bernhardt and Daniels said the county is obligated to provide certain terms due to its contracts with unions that represent county employees, Brian Kinney said that’s something the board needs to remember in the future.
Bernhardt and Daniels said the county is obligated under union contracts to provide the union members with coverage that is “equal or comparable” to what was provided the previous year.
In response to that, Kinney said, “We need to be looking 12 and 24 months out, when we negotiate those (union) contracts.”
Bernhardt said the committee hopes to have a health insurance package to present to the board at its February meeting.
Also at the meeting, which was conducted by Vice Chairman Jeff Beckman in Knebel’s absence:
• The board approved local agency agreement for federal participation in a bridge replacement project.
The total cost of replacing a bridge four miles east of Richland Creek is $225,100. The county’s share is $16,220.
• The board approved two bids from Vandalia Asphalt for patch mix purchased with Motor Fuel Tax Funds. Vandalia Asphalt was the only bidder.
The county will pay $44 per ton for 1,105 tons of patch mix.
• The board received from County Engineer Michael Maxey a year-end report on the Fayette County Highway Department’s construction projects.
The report includes the replacement of five bridges (Vandalia, Wheatland-2, Otego and Loudon Townships), drainage improvements east of Ramsey and improvements to railroad crossing approaches north of St. Peter.
• Fayette County Circuit Clerk Mary Sue Ruot told the board that her office’s scanning of court records is “going smoothly.” Circuit clerks are now required to scan all existing records in order to have backup documents stored securely off-site.
