By Terry Witt – Special to Spotlight
County Coordinator Wilbur Dean and County Commission Chairman John Meeks confirmed Tuesday the county has begun work on developing bid proposals for employee health insurance and is examining the possibility of working with the school board to take advantage of their health clinic.
The move to look at other health insurance options comes at a time when employees and the two county public employee unions are complaining about loss of family health insurance benefits and resulting higher insurance costs for employees that cut into their wages.
“We will consider any option that will provide good, affordable insurance for the taxpayers as well as effective insurance for our employees,” Meeks said. “The last thing I want to be part of; I don’t want to be part of some crummy insurance because we can save a few dollars.”
Meeks said the board would be ready to make a decision on health insurance by June.
The commission chairman was asked if the board would consider taking advantage of an executive order signed by President Trump in October of 2017 allowing Americans to purchase health insurance across state lines in an effort to save on costs.
“If Trump said it and we can do it, we’ll do it,” Meeks said.
But he also sounded a note of caution.
Meeks said the county commission purchases its health insurance through a large pool of counties and any move to buy insurance outside state lines could affect the pool.
“But keep in mind though that just because you go outside the state lines and purchase insurance doesn’t mean you’re going to save money because it’s based on factors here,” Meeks added. “You know as far as injuries, deaths, exposure of all manner of environmental issues; just because we go there they are going to base it on what goes on here.”
Meeks added, “Claim rates. We’ve had some pretty big claim rates the past few years; those factors are going to count in, so just because we go out it doesn’t mean it will be cheaper.”
Commissioners said they remember problems in the past when attempts to purchase less expensive policies caused employees to suffer with poor coverage. In one year the county purchased three policies from different companies.
Critics say the county commission hasn’t sought competitive health insurance bids in many years, leaving employees stranded with the same company.
Meeks said the county commission will purchase a health insurance policy providing the best quality of care at a good price.
“But we won’t base it solely on price,” he said.
February 20, 2018 Regular BoCC Meeting
Posted February 21, 2018
