School Board To Get New Health Insurance

Beginning with the 2008-09 school year, Independence School District employees will be covered by a different health insurance provider, Blue Cross/Blue Shield.

The plan was unanimously approved by the Independence Board of Education Tuesday at Bingham Middle School.

According to Assistant Superintendent Brian Mitchell, Humana has been the district’s health insurance provider for 10 years. But with the expiration of a two-year plan with Humana in which the district was able to lock-in premium rate increases by paying an up-front fee – coupled with an increased claims experience (the district’s past costs of workers compensation claims) – Mitchell opted to look at other insurance carriers.

He formed a committee drawn from employee groups that met over a number of months to review their options. A survey was also sent to employees.

“Blue Cross/Blue Shield was the unanimous choice,” Mitchell said. “I’ve never been as excited about an insurance proposal as I was this one.”

The new insurance plan includes a four-tier structure – meaning that four different plans are available to employees including individual, individual and spouse, individual and child or children and family – and a board-paid base plan that offers the choice of a PPO or an HMO.

Mitchell said doctor and hospital crossover was one of the biggest concerns in finding a new carrier.

“Maybe all but one of the top 25 physicians from our employees’ perspective are represented with Blue Cross/Blue Shield,” Mitchell said. “Same thing with hospital crossover. We wanted to make sure our employees have access to the same hospitals.”

The district will also continue full benefits for employees for dental, long-term disability and life insurance. The premium increase for those benefits is estimated to be three percent.