Struthers wrestling with health care hikes for workers

STRUTHERS

The city’s cost-containment committee is wrestling with how to pay for a 6.9 percent increase in health-care benefits.

At issue, said city Auditor Tina Morell, is how to absorb the increase while still keeping the city’s cost at or near $1,200 a month for family coverage. That figure is in the city’s unions’ contracts.

If the issue isn’t settled by the end of the year, the city will have to accept a 17 percent increase from Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield, which was the company’s original offer before the city’s health-insurance broker negotiated the 6.9 percent.

Ray Greenwood, committee chairman and the police union’s representative on the committee, said the panel had been planning to vote Tuesday on whether to split the cost of the co-pay increase with the city.

Now, he and other members of the committee who represent workers will tell those workers about two other plans that are possible.

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