Van Buren supervisors discuss insurance change

KEOSAUQUA ? The Van Buren County Board of Supervisors began a discussion on possible alternatives and future changes to part-time county officials? health insurance benefits during its weekly meeting Monday.

Van Buren County Auditor Jon Finney explained the discussion centered on the possibility of having part-time county officials, such as the supervisors and the county attorney, pay a higher percentage for their health insurance benefits due to the fact they are part time.

For more than 36 years, the county has paid full, single health insurance for all employees, said Finney. If an employee wants family health insurance, he has to pay the 40 percent difference between the single and family insurance, he continued Finney. Not all the current part-time county officials have insurance through the county, he added.

Supervisor Marvin Philips said he could support having the part-time elected officials pay a [higher] percentage of their health care coverage.

Supervisor Ted Nixon also said he would be in favor of having part-time officials pay a proportion for their health care coverage. He also mentioned that while supervisors are considered part time, they do have other duties, such as night meetings.

?We can?t expect employees to pay more if the elected officials don?t,? said supervisor Mark Meek.

Meek pointed out because this is an election year, it is the best time to discuss changes; any changes made would effect newly elected officials, and current officials would be ?grandfathered in.?

Finney told the supervisors any changes to the county?s health plan might affect its status under President Obama?s health care plan. Currently, the county?s plan is grandfathered in, but if changes are made to its plan, the county might be required to use the Obama plan.

?Under the Obama plan, the county taxpayers could be forced to pay more for all employees if part-time elected officials pick up the cost of their own,? Finney said.

Nixon asked Finney to check with the county?s health insurance provider, Wellmark, about what would happen if part-time elected officials are required to pay for health care benefits and if that change would trigger a change in the grandfather clause.

Finney added the discussion on having employees contribute more toward their health insurance started at the state level, and the supervisors? dialogue Monday was only a start of the discussion in Van Buren County.

?It will be months before we have anything specific,? he said.