By JIM AUSTIN
Cooperstown Crier
The board of trustees spent almost two hours
Monday morning looking at health care benefit options
for employees and trying to figure out how to
handle escalating costs.
Ralph Morse, President of Kaatirondack Benefit
Planning Incorporated in West Oneonta, explained
that the village will have to switch from an ``experience-
rated’’ to ``community-rated’’ insurance plan.
The change means the village will no longer be able
to negotiate rates or receive renewal concessions and
will likely result in higher cost.
According to Morse, CDPHP, the village’s current
insurance carrier, said if it had been able to continue
to experience rate the village, the renewal increase
for 2010 would have been almost 25 percent over this
year. The coverage for Medicare-eligible retirees
would have risen 94 percent.
``While no rate increases are ever welcomed, alternative
programs available that are closely
matched to the village’s current plan represent a
hefty increase over current program costs,’’ Morse
said.
The board must make a decision on a new health
care plan by the end of the month because
the health plans run on the
calendar year and not the village’s
fiscal year.
Before a decision is made, however,
Trustee Neil Weiller said it is crucial
to know exactly what the village’s
cost will be.
``These [plans] are going up tremendous
amounts’’ he said.
Last year, according to Village
Treasurer Mary Ann Henderson, the village paid
CDPHP almost $230,000 for employee health benefits.
The six plans currently under review by the village
board come with increased costs ranging from
3.8 percent to 26.9 percent depending on the level of
coverage provided.
Deputy Mayor Jeff Katz said it will be important
to try to determine where employees could be hurt
by changes to the co-pay and deductibles with the
new plan selected by the village.
Weiller said it may be possible to select a lower
cost plan with the understanding the village would
reimburse employees for
increased deductible and
co-pay amounts.
The village currently
reimburses employees the
$500 deductible for in-patient
hospital stays, according
to Henderson.
The provision was put
into the employee handbook
a few years ago when
the village opted to save
money on health care cost
by choosing a plan with a
higher deductible.
Trustee Joe Booan said
switching to higher deductibles
and co-payments
would save the village
some money and by changing
the policies and procedures
to provide reimbursement
for some
out-of-pocket expenses
would ``take the sting out’’
for employees.
Weiller also commented
that 2010 may the year to
review the amount of
health care costs paid by
individual employees.
Right now, employees
hired before 1992 do not
contribute to their health
care. Employees hired after
that date make contributions
based on a sliding
scale tied to their longevity
with the village.
Henderson is currently
compiling additional information
for the trustees
who will meet again Monday,
Dec. 14 to complete
their review of the insurance
plans.
inactive
December 10, 2009
Village faces higher health care expenses
- inactive
-
- Olympic rower launches program A two-time Olympic rower and head coach of Cooperstown Crew will be starting a new indoor rowing program in partnership with the Oneonta Boys and Girls Club.
- Autism walk to be held Saturday at Glimmerglass State Park Cooperstown will be among five sites kicking off Autism Awareness Month this Saturday.
- Shooting leaves residents dismayed Village residents are expressing shock about Friday’s shooting incident and are eager to reach an understanding of why it happened in a small, close-knit community like Cooperstown.
- Earth Festival is Saturday at MCS The Earth Festival, now in its fifth year, is an environmentally focused, interactive event featuring exhibits, workshops, vendors, food and entertainment, all with a fun, earthfriendly twist.
- Booan takes the helm as new C’town leader Joe Booan was sworn in at noon Monday and later that evening set an aggressive agenda for the village during the board of trustees’ annual reorganizational meeting.
- Shooting leaves residents dismayed: New mayor’s statement After canceling a press conference scheduled for Monday afternoon, new Mayor Joe Booan made the following statement during the village’s reorganizational meeting Monday night concerning Friday’s shooting incident.
- Hage appointed village trustee Mayor Joe Booan appointed Charles Hage to the board of trustees to fill the vacancy created when he was elected mayor.
- CCS makes more cuts to lower tax levy Last-minute changes have been made to the Cooperstown Central School proposed 2010-11 budget.
- Cuts likely at CV-S Cherry Valley-Springfield Superintendent Robert Miller says he has been losing sleep during his time preparing for the 2010-11 school budget.
- Relay for Life has new name, location The countdown is on; there are only 50 more days until this year’s local Relay for Life cancer fundraiser.
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