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Board approves optional 'Good Samaritan' employee health program for city staff
Summary
The Crown Point City Board of Public Works and Safety approved adding a new voluntary employee health program called the Good Samaritan to the city’s benefit offerings. City human-resources staff said the program is intended to limit high-dollar claims against the city’s self-insured fund and would be offered through a special enrollment period.
The Crown Point City Board of Public Works and Safety on April 2 approved adding a voluntary employee health option called the Good Samaritan to the city’s benefit offerings.
Kenneth, a city staff member who introduced the item, said the program is an addition to existing health options and that enrollment would be voluntary. City human-resources staff including Karen and Katie described months of preparation and outreach. "It's really gonna be beneficial for our employees and help our bottom line because we're helping to pull some of these high dollar things being self insured onto another fund and not wipe out our self insured funds," Kenneth said.
Staff described the program as aimed at mitigating extremely high-dollar claims. Karen and other HR staff said some example scenarios discussed at the meeting included very large claims; staff estimated a premium roughly in the range of $50,000 for the group offering, and said the program could reduce the city’s exposure to multi-million-dollar claims. Employees would have to qualify to enroll; staff said participation would be voluntary and some benefits would be time-limited (a staff member said a participant might be on the plan for six months if they chose to do so). The board approved the program by voice vote.
Staff said they have conducted an initial presentation at an employee lunch-and-learn and plan a special enrollment period and an open enrollment later in May. No formal cost to the city’s general fund was specified during the discussion beyond staff commentary that the program could save the self-insured account in the long run for high-dollar claims.
The board approved routine meeting business and adjourned; its next regular meeting is scheduled for April 16 at 11 a.m.
