Van Buren County adopts clearer payout rule for employees who waive county insurance
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Summary
The Quorum Court approved an ordinance clarifying payouts for employees who opt out of county-provided health, dental and vision insurance, adopting an attachment that lists premium calculations and directing 75% of premiums as the payout basis.
The Van Buren County Quorum Court on [date] approved an amended ordinance to clarify how the county pays employees who waive county-provided insurance, adopting a schedule that ties payouts to 75% of the insurer premium amounts.
Sponsor Sarah Brown introduced the measure as an internal accounting and transparency action to allocate existing budgeted personnel funds for employees who declined the county’s full insurance program. Brown said the change "just outlines the ... definition of that a little bit clearer for the purpose of transparency." The ordinance transfers budgeted personnel dollars so payouts can be processed for 2025 and formally records the calculation method for future reference.
Debate focused on how the payout is calculated and whether the handbook definition requires revision. County staff explained the math recorded in the attachment: the listed monthly health premium is $257.76 (annual $3,093.12); 75% of that annual amount equals $2,319.84. Dental insurance at $28.44 per month yields an annual $341.28 and a 75% payout of $255.96; vision at $5 per month yields $60 annually and a 75% payout of $45. The attachment read into the record shows that an employee who waived all three coverages would receive about $2,620 under the formula provided.
Members asked staff to confirm whether some payouts had already been processed for the current year and whether premiums would change in January; staff said some payments had been made and that premium rates will be finalized in January when the insurer’s figures take effect. The court agreed to attach the premium schedule to the ordinance for transparency and to allow a future amendment if premium figures change.
The Quorum Court approved the amended ordinance by roll call. The ordinance was adopted with the attachment that lists premium amounts and demonstrates the 75% calculation; the vote as recorded in roll call noted all members present voting yes.
The action clarifies how Van Buren County will calculate and document payouts to employees who waive county coverage but does not create a new ongoing benefit outside the county’s established personnel budgeting and handbook rules. The county indicated that changing the underlying personnel handbook language would be required to alter the method in the future.
