Waterloo School Board Approves Health Insurance Plan

Waterloo School Board Approves Health Insurance Plan

Waterloo, Iowa --- The Board of Education Monday approved a plan that can help the schools in the Waterloo Community to switch to a different approach to health insurance financing.

Council members voted 6-1 to impose a provisional plan premium, with effect from 1 October and transferred to the savings as a result committed to finance the budget. Board member Lyle Schmitt, disagreed, after a long discussion of other options.

The board's finance committee recommends the savings plan after four years when the claims of the health insurance of employees decreased by $ 2.5 million to 3.4 million in bonus payments below. The projections for 2010-11 show premiums of $ 11.35 million paid by the district and employees from 8.69 million dollar claims.

Waterloo School Board Approves Health Insurance Plan

Under this plan, the insurer clearly mark Blue Cross / Blue Shield lower premiums by about 11 percent. The same level of premiums will be collected with the extra money used to fund future insurance options, offset the excess costs of claims and to pay for welfare programs.

If requests exceed the base level of insurance is calculated, the district to pay costs up to 10 percent more than the original award during the next fiscal year. This would include officials determined the risks and less up-front costs that changing the self-financing, or health savings account approach at the time.

Schmitt suggests that the gap between claims and premiums meant the board should immediately seek competitive bids from insurance providers with the hope of further reducing costs. He said the council should have a "hard look" to offer savings accounts to the health of employees.

But Bev Smith, associate superintendent of human resources, said it was "completely impossible" to change providers at this stage, because there are more than 40 different options plan negotiated with the bargaining power of neighborhood groups. Superintendent Gary Norris said that because health insurance has contracted with the groups of workers is "a way to start the HSA this year."

Waterloo School Board Approves Health Insurance Plan

Norris Insurance form a committee Schmitt concierge and two board members on it to consider possible changes for the coming years.

In business, the board approved:

* Establish a balance of funds committed to it will be 5 percent of general operating expenses of the district annual fund transferred.

* Purchase of Dell 64 George Washington Carver Academy with $ 54 797 in the lower school funds continued to achieve.

* The discount is offered $ 124,058 in furniture Fred Becker Elementary School in Waterloo four companies of seats and tables in the cafeteria, faculty offices, and file storage. A total of $ 51 889 in tender was awarded to Kirk Gross Co., $ 46,714 on Kenworthy offers Apartment, $ 23 182 in the specialty of the School offers $ 2,274 and hotel deals in Phelan.