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District staff recommends joining New Jersey Solutions joint health insurance fund
Summary
District staff proposed leaving the state plan and joining the New Jersey Solutions Joint Health Insurance Fund, saying it offers the same Verizon Blue Cross Blue Shield plans, takes effect Aug. 1 and could produce significant savings; the board was told there are 60-day/30-day notice windows for leaving and exiting plans.
Hastings, a staff member, told the board the district is recommending a change in its employee health coverage from the state plan to the New Jersey Solutions Joint Health Insurance Fund, which "is offering the same Verizon Blue Cross Blue Shield plans" currently available in the state. He said the fund requires a 60-day notice to leave the state plan and that the district would give the required notice so the changeover could take effect on Aug. 1.
Hastings said administrators and the broker have been working through the transition and that the move is expected to generate "significant savings" compared with projected state rates. "If we're dissatisfied with the plan, we have a 30 day notice to them to exit the plan and can, move forward from there," he added.
Board members asked for clarification about broker support and ongoing monitoring; Hastings said the brokers would assist during the transition. The board did not record a formal vote on the proposal in the supplied transcript segments.
The issue matters because it affects benefit costs for employees and the district's budget forecast for the coming school year; next steps discussed were confirming the 60-day notice schedule and finalizing the broker transition plan.
