Bossier Parish committee renews Blue Cross Blue Shield administration contract for one year

The Bossier Parish School Board Insurance Committee voted March 6 to extend the administrative contract for the district's self-insured group health and dental plan with Blue Cross Blue Shield for one year and to seek bids next year. The action came during a brief committee meeting that centered on whether to re-bid the administrative portion of the benefit plan.

The committee's presenter, Miss Van Burch, said the district remains self-insured and that the discussion concerned only the administration portion of the plan, not claims: "we are self insured, so we're not talking about the claim piece of it." She told the committee the administrative contract is a small part of the budget but an important component of the plan's operation.

Insurance Committee member Mister Bullard moved to extend the current administrative contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield for one year and put the administration contract out for bid next year. "The service we've received from Blue Cross Blue Shield has been exemplary," Bullard said, adding he had not heard complaints from employees. Miss Poole seconded the motion. Committee Chair Bertrand called for a show of hands; the committee voted in favor and the motion passed.

Mister Aleman attended and was available to answer questions about the bid process if the committee chose to solicit proposals next year. Committee members did not record a roll-call vote on the record; the meeting minutes show the motion passed by the committee's voice/hand vote.

The committee had a single agenda item and adjourned after the vote.