Co-pays to be added to workers' plans

Employees pay deductibles with out-of-pocket maximum expenses.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
LISBON -- Columbiana County employees don't contribute to health-care premiums now, but they will in January 2007, county commissioners said.
"We look forward to a plan with a premium co-pay because it forces people to make decisions about their coverage," Commissioner Sean Logan said. "We believe there are several couples and families on our plan alone -- even though the spouses have coverage through their employers -- because we don't have a premium co-pay."
Commissioners have approved a contract with Anthem and approved on Wednesday a one-year, $25,000 contract for Morris Financial Group Inc. to serve as broker for the county health insurance plan.
Commissioners expect to save $800,000 in the county's health insurance plan in 2006, because they have saved money through discounts and negotiating rates, and there were fewer claims in 2005 than anticipated.
Logan said although the employees do not have a premium co-pay, they pay deductibles with out-of-pocket maximum amounts.
Breakdown of amounts
Deductibles of network providers are $300 for single coverage and $600 for family coverage, with maximum out-of-pocket expenses of $1,500 for single coverage and $3,000 for family coverage, he said.
Employees who choose providers outside the network will pay deductibles of $500 for single coverage and $1,000 for family coverage, with maximum out-of-pocket expenses of $2,500 for single coverage and $5,000 for family coverage, Logan said.
Logan also explained the health insurance plan was previously a two-tier system with 106 employees on single coverage and 361 on family coverage.
He said employees will be on a four-tier system, including categories of employee; employee and spouse or employee and one dependent; employee with two or more dependents; and family, including two adults and one or more dependents.
December is the open enrollment month for Anthem, and commissioners have instructed department heads to report any additions or changes by Jan. 9.
Commissioners reported so far there are 101 employees enrolled under single coverage, 136 as employee-spouse or employee with one dependent, 49 as employee only with two or more dependents, and 175 as family with two adults and one or more dependents.
Monthly premiums for the four tiers are $306.79 for single, $592.89 for employee and spouse or employee and one dependent, $823.25 for employee only and two or more dependents, and $1,097.84 for family coverage with two adults and one or more dependents.
tullis@vindy.com