Rio Grande City approves new employee health plan and employer MASA coverage

The Rio Grande City Commission approved a recommended employee benefits package on July 28 that will move the city's primary medical coverage to UnitedHealthcare and add an optional employer-sponsored MASA emergency-transport program.

Valerie Johnson, the city's personnel director, introduced the item and set out the decision staff made after a market review and best-and-final-offer negotiations. Benefits representative Jonathan explained that the recommended UnitedHealthcare base PPO would run about $559 per employee after a $29,000 implementation credit; staff described a buy-up plan option with richer benefits and a $1,000 deductible for the base plan. Jonathan said the city negotiated renewal terms down from an initial 32% increase to about 27%, and that factoring in credits and the MASA program would keep the overall budget increase under the city’s 15% allocation. "We're recommending UnitedHealthcare," Jonathan said, adding the package includes both a base and a buy-up PPO option.

The commission also approved an employer-sponsored MASA enrollment that staff described as covering out-of-pocket costs for ground and air ambulance transport — including nonemergency interfacility transfers — at an estimated employer cost of roughly $7 per employee. MASA representative Bryce told the commission the plan covers out-of-network transport costs anywhere in the U.S. and Canada and pays Starr County EMS directly for local transports. The mayor's motion to approve items 5a and 5b passed on a voice vote with commissioners recorded as saying 'aye.'