Ravalli County employees are looking at a little less bang fortheir health-insurance bucks in the year ahead.
But rising health insurance costs aren’t the only reason countyemployees will be shelling out more dough for their coverage.
“We had companies that declined to quote us because we had suchhigh utilization last year,” said Robert Jenni, the county’s humanresource director.
Last year, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana paid $1.7million in claims for Ravalli County employees. The county paidjust over a $1 million in premiums.
“They lost a lot of money on us,” Jenni said.
Last year, five insurance companies bid on Ravalli County. Thisyear, only Blue Cross and Blue Shield made a bid. Allegiance Lifeand Health Insurance declined to quote and neither Montana JointPowers Trust nor the Montana Association of Counties submittedbids.
“We had a number of big claims,” Jenni said. “(The insurancecompanies) wanted to know if they were closed or open. and severalof our biggest claims are still open.
“We have an older work force. and a couple of our claims werespouses.”
Of the 187 full-time county employees, 165 are enrolled in oneof the county’s two health insurance plans. Jenni said there arealso employees who take a $250 in-lieu payment the county offers todefray costs for alternative insurance.
The commissioners approved next year’s plans at a meeting onMonday, plans recommended to them by Jenni. Both plans are throughBlue Cross and Blue Shield. It is the second year in a row thecompany has provided insurance for Ravalli County.
County employees have two options for health insurance plans.The first is a high-deductible plan. The employee deductible is$7,500 for individuals and $15,000 for the family. It pays 100percent after meeting the deductible. Premiums are $605.99 a month,which is a composite rate. It is includes dental and is completelypaid for by the county.
That deductible is up $2,500 from this last year.
“I think it’s a bad investment to raise that deductible,” saidCommissioner Greg Chilcott. “But the other side is we could loseemployees having any coverage at all and that’s a risk I’m notreally willing to take.”
Jenni defended the plan but said he understood Chilcott’sconcerns with the increased deductible.
“It’s a good plan for most people,” Jenni said. “But I washoping to lower it instead of having to raise it $2,500 thisyear.”
The second option is a renewal plan that includes a 70-30percent co-pay after hitting a $2,000 deductible for individualsand 100 percent after hitting $4,000. those deductibles are $4,000and $8,000 for families.
The cost of that plan is $908.34 per month, also a compositerate, with the employee contributing $300.89 a month. that is anincrease of over $100 for employees.
Of the 165 employees who are enrolled in county health insuranceplans, 123 opted for the no-cost option.
“I expect even more will take the no-cost option,” Jennisaid.
Jenni said the two plans available to employees aren’t perfect,but the no-cost option is a big benefit.
“We have a little less coverage for our money,” he said. “Thelevel of coverage that the county could fund is less than it was inthe past. but we could still offer a no-cost option to all of ouremployees. and I’m happy that we could do that.”
The enrollment period for employees began on Tuesday and runsthrough the end of December.
Reach reporter Whitney Bermes at 363-3300 orwhitney.bermes@ravallirepublic.com.