Stephens Co. Employees To See Health Insurance Hike

Stephens County government employees will pay more for health insurance in the upcoming fiscal year.

Last week, the Stephens County Commission unanimously approved the health, vision, and dental premium renewal with Blue Cross Blue Shield for Fiscal Year 2017, which starts on July 1.

Stephens County Administrator Phyllis Ayers said that while dental and vision premiums are not changing, the county is being hit with a 13.83 percent increase in its health insurance premium.

Ayers said the county looked at other options, but found that this was the best it could do.

“We have met with the broker and there is really not a lot of assistance we can get out there to make it any better than this,” said Ayers. “There is another policy with Blue Cross that is not really a good policy. The deductible is pretty high, pretty steep for the employees.”

She said the county even looked at other companies, but found it could not get a better rate than the one offered by Blue Cross Blue Shield.

According to Ayers, the county’s department heads looked over the options and did recommend staying with the current plan and the 13.83 percent health insurance premium increase.

However, she said those department heads also suggested looking at ways to help the county’s employees considering the size of the premium increase.

Ayers said that is because the current set-up would have a large impact on employees, especially those at the lower end of the county’s pay scale.

“For someone with family coverage, it is almost a $2,500 pay cut at $94.91 a pay period increase,” said Ayers.

Commission Chair Dennis Bell said that it is not a great option for employees, but it is the best one.

“This is tough for our employees to digest,” said Bell. “People say things may be getting better, but when you get hit with a 13.83 percent increase in insurance, it is tough and I want the employees to know that I wish there was something else we could do.”

Ayers said the county commission was set to look at this also during its budget retreat, which took place last Thursday and Friday.