County employees had their insurance package for next year approved by the Commissioners Court Monday. County Judge Brint Carlton indicated rising insurance costs caused the Court to change the insurance plan. Carlton said employees will have an increase in their deductibles to $2500, an extra $5 for office visits, and an additional five to ten dollars for medication co-pay. The new plan will cost the county about $4.3 million, but the previous plan would have been an additional $160,000 according to Judge Carlton.
Further discussions included health insurance contribution rates for employees, dependents, and retirees. The Commissioners voted unanimously in two separate votes not to change the current policy of the county paying insurance for the three categories. The county pays 100 percent for employees and retirees, while 40 percent of the insurance is paid for dependents of employees. Dependents of retirees get zero percent of their insurance paid by the county.
The Court was split 3-2 on providing health benefits for future county employees when they retire. First, Judge Carlton moved only future employees that worked 20 consecutive years for Orange County would receive full free health benefits. That motion was defeated.
Commissioner Barry Burton who voted against the first motion suggested a sliding scale of benefits for new employees that are hired starting October 1, 2016. Commissioner David Dubose liked the sliding scale, but opposed the starting date for the policy. Dubose asked that the starting date be changed to January 2, 2017 which would allow Johnny Trahan and John Gothia who both will take office as commissioners on January 1, 2017 not to be included under the new limited benefits for future retirees. Dubose added in his opinion the new policy would not cost the county any money to wait until then.
Burton’s motion was approved by a vote of 3-2 with the judge and Commissioner Jody Crump joining Burton. Future retirees hired after October 1 will have the county pay for 25 percent of their insurance after 8 years of service, 50 percent after 12 years, 75 percent after 16 years, and those future employees that retire after 20 years will get 100 percent of their health insurance paid for by the county.
In another health related issue the Commissioners Court approved unanimously to continue the Wellness Plan suggested by the Texas Association of Counties for county employees and their spouses. The Commissioners approved waiving the $40 monthly surcharge for employees and spouses who did not complete at least two parts of the Wellness Plan for this fiscal year. Next year’s Wellness Plan will have a $25 monthly surcharge and an additional $25 dollar tobacco surcharge for employees that use tobacco products. Orange County ranks in the top 1 percent of counties in Texas with health costs per employee. The Court hopes further participation in the Wellness Plan by employees and their spouses will get the county out of this undesirable number 1 position.
Assistant County Attorney Doug Manning met with the Commissioners in closed sessions to discuss the Montano and the Jeremiah Gunter lawsuits with Orange County. He also discussed with the Court in an executive session the possible independent audit of the County Auditor Mary Johnson. No details were made available following the meetings, but Commissioner John Banken who originally requested the audit said the process is ongoing.
(This is a corrected version of the original story)
-Dan Perrine,KOGT-
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