Free Health Insurance

[Patriot]

Do you have a health insurance plan like this:

Your cost:  Free
Have a spouse or kids?  Want Dental coverage? Your monthly cost might go up to as much as $160/month.

Prescription Drugs
Major medical
Routine Dr. Visits

$300/yr deductible  $25 Dr visit co-pay

Provided by Blue Cross/Blue Shield

This is what we taxpayers are & have been providing for Elk County employees
The employer (Elk County taxpayers) funds a minimum of 95% of the full premium... to the tune of hundreds of thousands per year!

Nothin personal, but dayum!  Where can the rest of us get a deal like that?  Any job openings at Elk County?

And just think... in a couple of years, ObummerCare will MANDATE that you buy health insurance for you and your family out of your own pocket on top of all this.  Ain't life grand?

[srkruzich]

Do you have a health insurance plan like this:

Your cost:  Free
Have a spouse or kids?  Want Dental coverage? Your monthly cost might go up to as much as $160/month.

Prescription Drugs
Major medical
Routine Dr. Visits

$300/yr deductible  $25 Dr visit co-pay

Provided by Blue Cross/Blue Shield

This is what we taxpayers are & have been providing for Elk County employees
The employer (Elk County taxpayers) funds a minimum of 95% of the full premium... to the tune of hundreds of thousands per year!

Nothin personal, but dayum!  Where can the rest of us get a deal like that?  Any job openings at Elk County?

And just think... in a couple of years, ObummerCare will MANDATE that you buy health insurance for you and your family out of your own pocket on top of all this.  Ain't life grand?

HOLY CRAP!  My premiums back in 1998-2001 were over 660 a month. PLUS i had a 1000 dollar deductible with a 20% copay.    Why are taxpayers footing the bill!? 

[Patriot]

HOLY CRAP!  My premiums back in 1998-2001 were over 660 a month. PLUS i had a 1000 dollar deductible with a 20% copay.    Why are taxpayers footing the bill!?  

The answer to your final question?  The largesse of a majority of current and past county commissioners, I guess.

The county currently subscribes to a state managed group plan which REQUIRES the county to pay for at least 95% of individual plans and 55% of spouse/dependent plans.  By law, we can't not impose increased employee contribution beyond those levels or increase the deductible.  Almost zero flexibility.

When enrolled, the county is locked into the plan (and any rate increases) for 3 years at a time.  Our current 3yr stint ends 12/31/11.  We aren't required to use this state plan.  

For some perspective, keep in mind that the employee benefits (insurance/work comp/unemployment insurance/medicare/social security) portion of the county budget accounts for just south of 1/2 of all county expenditures each year... somewhere near $1,000,000... the just approved 2012 budget should be in this weeks Prairie Star.  Be sure to check it out.

Also, our rates are high, in part, for 2 reasons.  First, our group size is small (about 50) and we have some older folks (some btw qualify for medicare) which increase our risk rating.

As I understand it, our (taxpayer share) of the premiums amount to between $500-$1200 per month per enrolled employee, depending on type of coverage (individual, family, etc.).  This could amount to almost a doubling of some employee's compensation.

Maybe this stuff adds some missing links to the low pay in Elk County issue.

[Patriot]

Any info on school districts benefit plans?  Just wondering. 

[PrehistoricRez]

Sure Patriot you want to know about the wonderful school district plan, Im sure the teacher that cant get a raise so the district can purchase 60 laptops for students would love that plan. 

West Elk/afforda Blue from Blue Cross Blue Shield

Single 360.77 month
Emp/Child 704.39 month
Emp/Spouse 774.59 month
Family 1008.96 month

$1000 Deductible per person up to $3000 max
$1000 Co insurance (20% of next $5000) up to $3000 Max

Prescription s$100 deductible then reimbursed at 50%

Dr visits $25 copay

[Patriot]

Sure Patriot you want to know about the wonderful school district plan, Im sure the teacher that cant get a raise so the district can purchase 60 laptops for students would love that plan...

Single 360.77 month
Emp/Child 704.39 month
Emp/Spouse 774.59 month
Family 1008.96 month

Wow... and the district requires the employee to pay all of those premiums themselves?  Yup, the county seems to have the best bait.  Sure hope their employees are appreciative.

As for laptops, I've been told that's only the tip of the spending iceberg.

[PrehistoricRez]

sorry patiriot there is a $410.77 stipend also paid towards the insurance, must have got cut off.

[PrehistoricRez]

why dont you get on the board?