By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Hays USD 489 school board made a decision Monday night on what insurance plan to offer teachers.
The district decided to move away from the state plan after Blue Cross Blue Shield increased the district’s premiums by $1.4 million over two years.
The district was able to provide a plan with equal benefits to the Blue Cross Blue Shield plan with less out-of-pocket expenses to plan participants. Retirees will pay much less next year.
“If they really do study it, they can save,” Superintendent John Thissen said. “There really can be a year-to-year process where they can make some good decisions that can save them money.”
The district will offer four plans through Aetna — one, two, three and four, with plan one intended for people with those with greatest medical expenses and plan four for those who are healthier.
The board voted to offer the plan two-single as the one fully covered by the district.
The district and the teachers union have agreed on all other aspects of the teachers’ contract, but reopened the negotiations on health insurance when the decision was made to move to Aetna.
The teachers’ and custodians’ unions sent a letter to the district earlier in negotiations saying the district would be legally liable if it changed providers.
Superintendent John Thissen said negotiations lead to improvements in the plan offerings, including better drug benefits without additional costs, the ability to use Quest Diagnostics for lab tests and inclusion of High Plains Mental Health as a provider.
Thissen said Aetna made the adjustments without protest. If the district would have stayed with the state plan, they would not have had this flexibility.
The teachers’ union had wanted plan one to be provided by the district.
Kathy Rome, representative of the teachers’ union, issued the following statement via email Tuesday morning, “The USD 489 Board of Education made the unilateral decision to offer these health insurance benefits without an agreement with the teachers. The teachers’ bargaining team had shared several concerns that had been discussed but were not addressed in a satisfactory manner. The board promoted this change stating several times that the coverage would be as good as or better than the previous insurance plan benefits. The plan the board is offering will raise the deductible from $1,000 to $3,500 resulting in a much higher up front cost for the employees.”
The new plan will also have revisions to the wellness plan. Instead of being points based, plan participants will have to submit proof of annual doctor’s visit or biometrics exam and a form indicating their smoking status. Spouses will not have to participate in the wellness program.
The district hopes to combine the teachers’ and students’ wellness committees.
An insurance committee to look at future benefits plans will also be created per the teachers’ and custodians’ contract agreements.
Thissen said the district needs to move quickly to complete insurance enrollment. Education sessions and enrollment will likely be completed before the end of the month.
In other business: the board:
• Heard a report on vehicle purchases. The board will vote on the purchases at its next meeting.
• Heard a report and received training from Donna Hudson-Hamilton, director of Early Childhood Connection, on the ECC program.
• Heard an update on board goals.
• Heard an update on presentations Thissen and other staff have been giving on the proposed $78.5 million bond issue. The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 17. The general election is Nov. 7.
Story updated 9:22 a.m. Oct. 10 with comments from Hays NEA.