County To Offer Dual Employee Health Plans

Stephens County government will offer its employees a second health plan option to try and help employees save on their health insurance premium costs.

On Tuesday, Stephens County Commissioners unanimously approved offering dual health plans and approved the second plan that county employees will have to choose from.

County Administrator Phyllis Ayers said that the plan has a number of changes when compared to the plan that the county employees currently have.

According to Ayers, it has a higher deductible and a lower co-insurance.

Ayers said that she has always favored having just one health plan.

However, she said offering employees a choice between the current plan and this new, second plan will give them a chance to save money if they so choose.

“That will be at such a decreased rate for the employee, it will give them a lot of relief,” said Ayers.

Ayers said numerous other counties offer employees a choice between dual health plans.

This came about after Stephens County announced last month that the premium on its current health insurance plan was set to go up nearly 14 percent.

Besides offering the dual plan, the county is considering a graduated pay increase in its proposed Fiscal Year 2017 budget to help employees, especially at the lower end of the pay scale, cover the higher premium.