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County employees and union urge pause on health-insurance changes; county says carriers will match current coverage
Summary
Members of CWA Local 1084 and Board of Social Services employees asked commissioners to table proposed changes to county health coverage until unions can review carriers and impacts; county staff said any replacement carriers will provide coverage substantially similar to current plans and will provide documentation after board approval.
Representatives of CWA Local 1084 and employees of the Camden County Board of Social Services urged the Board of Commissioners to pause action on changes to the county's health-insurance arrangements until labor representatives can review provider selections and plan details.
Jaren Steiner, speaking during the public comment period, asked the board to "seriously consider tabling this" so the county and union could discuss the transfer out of the State Health Benefits Plan and the identity of any replacement carriers. Steven Johnson, president of CWA Local 1084, said bargaining has lasted "fourteen and a half months" and that members need a fair contract to meet rising costs.
County staff responded that the board must act this month to make the change. "Any [carriers] aren't being named yet only because it hasn't been approved yet by the board," said Jim, a county staff member involved in benefits administration. He said the county is contractually obligated to provide coverage "similar to or substantially similar to" current coverages and that the companies expected to be selected are national carriers with government experience.
Johnson and other union speakers said they supported leaving the State Health Benefits Plan in principle but asked for a pause until they could review specific carriers and confirm that the new plans mirror current benefits and respect collective-bargaining agreements. The county said it will provide documentation about the third-party administrator, pharmacy benefits manager and Medicare Advantage carrier after the board approves the changes.
Speakers from the Board of Social Services described staffing shortages, low pay relative to rising costs and the effect on service delivery. "This contract is make-or-break for me," said Kimberly Poole, a Board of Social Services employee and bargaining committee member, who described personal financial strain and case backlogs caused by understaffing.
The commissioners heard the comments during the public comment period; no further formal action on the insurance change was recorded at the meeting beyond the public remarks and staff assurances that documentation will be provided after approvals.
