Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Employee Benefits topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Appling County hears proposal to change employee health insurance citing up to $529,000 in annual savings
Summary
Interim County Manager Mike Deal and representatives from Lighthouse Benefits presented an Aetna-based plan that leaders say could save the county $240,000'$529,000 annually and offers a direct contract option with Appling Healthcare System and pharmacy discounts; some residents later asked whether the county solicited competing bids.
Chairman Mike Shumans and county leaders spent portions of August meetings reviewing a proposed change to the county's employee health insurance that presenters said could reduce county costs by an estimated $240,000 to $529,000 a year.
Interim County Manager Mike Deal introduced the proposal and invited Shawn O'Quinn and Mike Malloy of Lighthouse Benefits to explain the plan. Malloy and O'Quinn described an arrangement in which Aetna would serve as the carrier, with an option for a direct contract to Appling Healthcare System that would add benefits and provide deeper pharmacy discounts under a Plan 340B arrangement. The presenters said employees should not see higher out-of-pocket costs under the proposal and offered quarterly employee education and enrollment support.
"Costs could save the county $240,000 up to $529,000 annually," Malloy and O'Quinn told the board during the County Manager's report. They said Southeast Georgia Regional Healthcare could also be included in network options.
At the Aug. 11 work session, Lighthouse Benefits representatives reiterated that the plan would not bar coverage for pre-existing conditions and that representatives would continue negotiations and monitoring after a contract was signed.
Questions from the public and commissioners at the Aug. 18 budget hearing focused on procurement. Julie Scarborough asked whether the county had advertised the request for proposals and how many firms were contacted. Interim County Manager Mike Deal replied that the opportunity was not advertised and that he had relied on prior experience with the Lighthouse Benefits representatives; he said two additional quotes were provided but did not match the presented savings.
The board did not take a final vote on an insurance contract at the meetings recorded in the transcript. The matter appeared on multiple agenda items and will likely return to the board for further review and possible formal action.
Clarifying details from the meetings include the presenters' savings estimate ($240,000'$529,000 annually), the proposed Aetna carrier arrangement, the option for a direct contract with Appling Healthcare System, the Plan 340B pharmacy discount reference, and the presenters' pledge of quarterly employee support.
