Temple benefits trust selects low-cost vendor for city health plan after debate over disruption and rebates

The City of Temple Employee Benefits Trust voted to select Butler Benefits (administered by High Plains Health Plan) as the low-cost vendor for the city’s employee health plan after a motion passed at the trust’s Aug. 15 reconvened meeting.

Tara Raymore, the trust’s benefits consultant, told trustees the presentation assumed the city would pay 60% of any premium increase and employees 40%, and that “the maximum increase an employee would see is approximately $78” under the recommended vendor option. Raymore said the lowest-cost vendor proposal would show a much smaller employee increase, about $25.93 in the buy-up PPO example presented.

The trust’s decision followed extended discussion about differences among bidders, how premiums were calculated and funded, and possible service disruption for employees if the trust chose the lowest-cost proposal. “The lowest cost vendor, I just have some concern…