Health plan participation rates up 24 percent for county workers
NORWICH – Government workers who participate in Chenango County’s health care benefit plan will be asked to contribute 24 percent more for coverage next year.
The projected local share paid by taxpayers for the $7.5 million hospitalization plan would increase by the same percentage, and collect $5.6 million, or $1 million more than last year.
“The employees aren’t going to like this, but they need to know that they are going to be paying more and the people who pay taxes are going to be paying more, too,” said Coventry Supervisor John Phelan, a member of the Chenango County Personnel Committee. The group of lawmakers learned next year’s projected health benefit costs in a recent budget report from Chenango County Self Insurance Administrator R.C. Woodford.
Non-union employees currently pay $76 a month for individual care coverage and $1 for dental, or $240 for family health; $11 for dental. Civil Service Employees Association workers (one of four bargaining units that represent county workers), for example, currently pay $72 a month for individual coverage and $1 for dental, or $230 for family health; $11 for dental.
The increase will not affect individual CSEA employees hired prior to 1990 nor non-union employees hired prior to 2004 who currently pay nothing for the benefit.
Last year, employee contributions jumped 7.5 percent more than the year before.
Personnel Director Bonnie Carrier added that the nation’s new health care plan would impact the county even greater in 2012 when older siblings are added to their family’s coverage.
The plan has been tapped for $6.7 million in claims so far this year, a three percent increase over 2009. Most of it was made up with appropriations from county surplus. Woodford said the overage was due in a large part to “a few higher dollar employees” who have been ill and exceeded premiums.
The number of employees participating in a buy-out incentive designed to control health care costs has triple over the last five years. The amount varies by contract, but individual CSEA workers who opt out receive $500 per year, or $1,000 per year for family coverage. Chenango County Personnel Committee Chairman Wayne Outwater, R-Lincklaen, directed Carrier to find more ways to entice people to participate in the incentive, an option put in place a decade ago.
The estimated 2011 retirement liability for the county is $3.34 billion. The year’s liability exceeded budget projections as well, by about $340,000.
The projected local share paid by taxpayers for the $7.5 million hospitalization plan would increase by the same percentage, and collect $5.6 million, or $1 million more than last year.
“The employees aren’t going to like this, but they need to know that they are going to be paying more and the people who pay taxes are going to be paying more, too,” said Coventry Supervisor John Phelan, a member of the Chenango County Personnel Committee. The group of lawmakers learned next year’s projected health benefit costs in a recent budget report from Chenango County Self Insurance Administrator R.C. Woodford.
Non-union employees currently pay $76 a month for individual care coverage and $1 for dental, or $240 for family health; $11 for dental. Civil Service Employees Association workers (one of four bargaining units that represent county workers), for example, currently pay $72 a month for individual coverage and $1 for dental, or $230 for family health; $11 for dental.
The increase will not affect individual CSEA employees hired prior to 1990 nor non-union employees hired prior to 2004 who currently pay nothing for the benefit.
Last year, employee contributions jumped 7.5 percent more than the year before.
Personnel Director Bonnie Carrier added that the nation’s new health care plan would impact the county even greater in 2012 when older siblings are added to their family’s coverage.
The plan has been tapped for $6.7 million in claims so far this year, a three percent increase over 2009. Most of it was made up with appropriations from county surplus. Woodford said the overage was due in a large part to “a few higher dollar employees” who have been ill and exceeded premiums.
The number of employees participating in a buy-out incentive designed to control health care costs has triple over the last five years. The amount varies by contract, but individual CSEA workers who opt out receive $500 per year, or $1,000 per year for family coverage. Chenango County Personnel Committee Chairman Wayne Outwater, R-Lincklaen, directed Carrier to find more ways to entice people to participate in the incentive, an option put in place a decade ago.
The estimated 2011 retirement liability for the county is $3.34 billion. The year’s liability exceeded budget projections as well, by about $340,000.
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