County Forced to Pay More for Employee Health Insurance

Due to rate hikes and mandates of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), the county is being required to increase the amount it pays toward health insurance for employees under its group plan.
During Monday night’s monthly meeting, the county commission voted to spend another $21,450 covering the period of January-June, 2018 to meet the federal mandate in covering 65 county employees enrolled in the plan.
“The county pays $260 per month for each employee who takes insurance. Sixty five people have county insurance. We have to meet the Affordable Care Act. Under the law, the lowest paid full time employee cannot pay more than 9.565% of their salary for insurance. We are going to have to do something to come in line with the Affordable Care Act. If the county went from paying $260 per employee to $315 per month for each employee, then that would satisfy the requirements,” said County Mayor Tim Stribling.
The county could have chosen to increase its contribution to cover only the 51 employees enrolled in the Limited PPO plan and still been in compliance with the Affordable Care Act, costing the county an additional $16,830, but the commission opted instead to make it apply to all 65 employees.
First District Commissioner Julie Young said the county should start looking for another group plan to offer more affordable insurance
In other business, the County Commission has again rejected a request to post a speed limit on Ragland Bottom Road. Last month the proposal was denied on a voice vote but fifth district commissioner Jerry Adcock said he would have preferred a roll call vote. Monday night Adcock moved that a 25 mile per hour speed limit be posted on Ragland Bottom Road and that a roll call vote be taken. The request to post the speed limit failed 8-3. Only commissioners Adcock, Anita Puckett, and Julie Young voted for it.
Meanwhile action has been delayed on a Board of Education budget line item transfer request to move $25,000 within categories of the school budget to purchase a five acre tract of land adjoining the high school property for development of a new soccer field. Seventh district commissioner Larry Summers moved to table the request until commissioners learn more about the plans directly from the school board or director. Summers’ motion to table was adopted.