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Personnel committee backs emergency legislation to offer voluntary EyeMed vision plan
Summary
The personnel committee unanimously recommended emergency legislation May 27 to allow the director of public service and safety to sign an agreement with EyeMed to offer a voluntary, employer-subsidized vision insurance option to city employees.
The personnel committee unanimously voted May 27 to recommend that the council approve emergency legislation authorizing the director of public service and safety to execute an agreement with EyeMed to offer a voluntary vision insurance plan to city employees, Lynn Snead, chair of the personnel committee, said.
Committee members said the plan would be optional for employees and proposed to split premiums with the city on a 50/50 basis, the same arrangement used for the city’s dental benefit.
Mr. Peterson, a staff member who presented the proposal, told the committee the city solicited pricing through its consultant and through the Ohio Benefits Cooperative and received competitive renewals from Anthem for health coverage. He said four vision carriers were solicited and EyeMed provided the lowest cost and a network of local eye-care providers. “It would be an optional plan, completely optional,” Mr. Peterson said.
Mr. Peterson said the vendor’s full-enrollment estimate would produce an annual premium of about $30,500; splitting that evenly would make the city’s share about $15,250 if every employee enrolled. Based on the vendor’s experience, he said, the city expects roughly one-third of employees to enroll, which would reduce the estimated total premium to about $10,000 and the city share to about $5,000.
The committee heard that the plan would be available to employees as individual and family coverage. EyeMed offered a four-year rate guarantee, Mr. Peterson said, and the offer would be extended to union and nonunion employees under the same terms unless a union contract specifically supersedes the city code provision cited in the presentation.
Mr. Peterson referenced Chapter 141 of the municipal code as the provision that typically applies to nonunion employees and, in the absence of a conflicting contract provision, to union employees as well. He also said the city’s labor attorney indicated an MOU would not be required to offer the voluntary plan as part of open enrollment.
Lynn Snead said the committee’s action was unanimous and directed staff to proceed with emergency legislation so the benefit could be available during the city’s open-enrollment process. The committee did not record a roll-call vote in the transcript.
