Pembroke Park staff recommends switching town health plan to Cigna, citing roughly $180,000 annual savings

Gloria Rosen, the towninsurance consultant, told the commission that she had solicited quotes from Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare and Aetna and that Cigna returned a plan that would save about $9,000 a month versus the town's current Blue Cross plan.

Rosen said the Cigna plan would keep a $0 deductible, a $10 specialist copay and a lower ambulance charge, and she recommended moving the procurement to the consent agenda so staff can begin open enrollment. "Cigna is better than the Blue Cross and $9,000 a month less," Rosen said. She told the commission the earliest effective date the carrier could start was Oct. 1.

Vice Mayor Kashem and other commissioners thanked Rosen for the work and agreed to place the recommendation on the consent agenda. Commissioners and staff noted that any realized savings would be used to cover new employees and potential benefit upgrades, and Rosen said finance and human resources had been consulted. The commission voted to move the item to consent for final approval at the regular meeting.