[OPLINLIST] Healthcare costs

[Michael Penrod]

Hi, Pam.

We provide health and dental coverage for full-time (37.5 hours per week)
employees only.  For 2019, our health costs are going up 2.9% (renewing
with same plan) and our dental costs are going down 32% (yes, down, 32% -
with better coverage too - with switching to another provider). We shop the
market each year using the online Formfire.com service.

For dental, the library pays 80% of the monthly premiums.

For health, the Employee pays $49 per pay-period ($49 x 26 pays = $1,274
per year or 20.98% of the premium cost).  As costs continue to rise, I bet
we move to an 80/20 split like we do for dental.

The library provides ZERO subsidy for premium coverage for spouse, child,
or family.  If an employee picks up this coverage, they pay all of it
themselves.  To give an employee more compensation just because they are
married or have children is unfair to single, child-free employees (unless
you give that person more cash to balance it out).  Our personnel manual
and our local nondiscrimination ordinances have long held that we do not
consider "familial (marital or parental) status" in employment practices.

Many years ago, we moved from a health plan with a $500 deductible to one
that is $1,000.  This has saved the library a lot of money over the years.
BUT to help employees, the Board does cover all of the deductible over $300
via a Deductible Reimbursement Plan.  Some years, 4 employees request
reimbursement, other years 10 might... but in the end the savings in
premiums is far greater than reimbursement costs.  We use a third party
vendor (Service Organization in Toledo) to administer this plan as well as
our Flexible Spending Account.  If I want to request reimbursement of
deductibles, I fax my EOB forms to Service Org and they send me a check,
then bill the library.

Best of luck as you navigate this murky process!  Each year, I tense up
when our insurance agent calls with the quotes... but this year I nearly
kissed him. :-)
Michael







On Tue, Nov 13, 2018 at 4:33 PM, Pam Hoesman via OPLINLIST <
oplinlist at lists.oplin.org> wrote:

> Hello, all,
>
>
> Healthcare costs just keep going up.  Does anyone have any tips or ideas
> for helping employees find the best deals? I am hearing that our plan is
> too expensive.   Does anyone pay employees with families a designated
> amount each month to help cover health costs?  Would love to hear anything
> that might help.
>
>
> Pam Hoesman
>
>
> Pamela M. Hoesman
> Library Director, Birchard Public Library of Sandusky County
> 423 Croghan St., Fremont, OH
> <https://maps.google.com/?q=423+Croghan+St.,+Fremont,+OH++43420&entry=gmail&source=g>
>  43420
> <https://maps.google.com/?q=423+Croghan+St.,+Fremont,+OH++43420&entry=gmail&source=g>
> Pam.Hoesman at Birchard.lib.oh.us
> 419-334-7101, Ex. 204
>
>
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-- 
Michael Penrod, Director
Wood County District Public Library
251 North Main Street, Bowling Green, OH 43402
Voice:419-352-5104 Fax:419-353-8013
michaelpenrod at wcdpl.org
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