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Mount Vernon proposes benefit-cycle alignment, switches dental carrier to Delta Dental
Summary
City staff said they will renew the city's health insurance package (Resolution 45; ordinances 18 and 19), keep Medical Mutual and EyeMed, replace Ameritas with Delta Dental for dental coverage, add a long-term disability policy and align benefits to a 17-month cycle while negotiating HRA changes with unions.
City safety and human-resources staff told the Employee and Community Relations committee they plan to renew the city's health insurance and adjust carriers and enrollment timing to better align benefits with the fiscal year.
The presenter (safety/service director) said the city will keep Medical Mutual for medical coverage and EyeMed for vision, drop Ameritas and move dental coverage to Delta Dental. The change was presented as a cost-saving measure for the city and a move toward carriers more commonly used by local providers.
Staff also described a new long-term disability policy offered to all employees and an opt-in short-term disability option; they framed the change as replacing the internal sick-time donation bank with standardized disability coverage. The presenter said these steps were negotiated with the city's broker "McGowan Braybender" and with unions, and that unresolved HRA (health reimbursement arrangement) choices will return to the bargaining table next year.
Elizabeth, the HR director, reported the employee survey produced about 85 responses. Staff described the pool as roughly 185 employees who use insurance and said 85 employees responded to the survey, which informed benefit choices and the proposed enrollment-management services.
Next steps: Staff said they will take the resolution and related ordinances (Resolution 45; Ordinances 18 and 19) to third and final reading so the city can move to the new benefit cycle and complete open enrollment.
