County Fails To Ok New Insurance Policy
Nov. 25--EL PASO -- Time is running out for the county to hire a new health insurance administrator. The new insurance year begins Jan. 1.
After failing to pass a motion to accept an option offered by Foresight TPA during a special Commissioners Court meeting on Monday, Commissioner Luis Sarinana left the meeting in frustration and broke quorum, ending the meeting.
"Good night. This is a bunch of baloney," he said as he left.
The court heard from the county's risk pool board that Foresight TPA had the best offer for the county of the four bidders.
Although the court agreed that Foresight TPA, formerly Access HealthSource, would get the contract, it could not decide on which option presented by the company to choose.
The first option calls for Thomason Hospital to be the county's preferred health-care provider, and the plan would cover 95 percent of costs. Tenet facilities, including Providence Memorial Hospital and Sierra Medical Center, would be covered at 80 percent, and other in-network providers would be covered at 60 percent. This would include HCA facilities Las Palmas and Del Sol medical centers.
The second option called for Thomason to remain at the top tier with 95-percent coverage and Tenet and HCA both covered at 80 percent.
Sarinana and Commissioner Miguel Teran were in favor of the second option, but Commissioners Dan Haggerty and Veronica Escobar wanted to consider the first option because it could represent a savings of up to $1 million.
"I don't believe
this board should be held hostage because you are playing political games," Sarinana angrily said to the Foresight representative at the meeting.
He was angered because Tenet overtook HCA as having the most preferred status at Foresight after Foresight and Tenet reached an undisclosed settlement to a dispute. The county rescinded a previous bid awarded to Foresight Nov. 13 after learning about the issue.
Escobar said she spoke with the county's benefits consultant after the meeting and is now considering the second option after rethinking the short contract lengths and the inclusion of a medical clinic for the county in the offer. She said she might post an item on Monday's meeting agenda to again discuss the issue.
Erica Molina Johnson may be reached at [email protected]; 546-6132.
In other action
During Monday's regular Commissioners Court, the court also:
--Approved its state legislative agenda for 2009.
--Awarded a bid for tortilla products for the county to Border Eagle Distributing.
--Approved spending $1.4 million in set aside certificate of obligation bond money to help fund a $7 million venture with the state and the Lower Valley Water District to provide water and sewer connections to 354 families in the county.
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