City employees sign petition for to change health insurance

Sept. 27--NATCHEZ -- City of Natchez employees are circulating a petition seeking to instigate a change in the city's health insurance coverage.

The petition comes shortly after the Natchez Board of Aldermen chose to renew its health insurance coverage with Leslie "Les" Smith of LS & Associates in Southaven at the board's Sept. 13 meeting. The city switched Smith's firm in September 2015.

The meeting quickly devolved into accusations of some aldermen being "wined and dined" in exchange for their support of Smith's coverage plan and a back-and-forth between Smith and representatives from Ross & Yerger Insurance, who appeared before the board to present a Blue Cross Blue Shield plan they said could have saved the city $900,000 last year and cut employees' insurance premiums as well.

The city previously had BCBS insurance for its employees, and Isaac Mitchell, who works in the city's garage, said he signed the petition because he wants the city to return to BCBS.

"We really want it to go back to Blue Cross Blue Shield like (the city) used to have," he said. "The one we've got now, they're not paying anything."

Mitchell said he has been to the doctor multiple times under the city's current insurance.

"I went to Jackson to (University of Mississippi Medical Center), and they had never even heard of Lifestyles insurance," Mitchell said, referring to the self-funded portion of the city's "hybrid" insurance coverage.

Mitchell said he has also had issues with claims not being paid in a timely manner, or at all.

"I've been to the doctor a few times, and they haven't paid my (first) claim yet," he said.

Public Works employee Albert Jackson said he has had the same problem. Jackson also signed the petition in hopes of the city switching insurance providers.

"I keep getting bills that the insurance was supposed to pay," Jackson said. "Every time I call them, they say they are going to deal with it, and they haven't."

Mitchell and Jackson both say they have talked to many fellow employees who are also dissatisfied with the health insurance.

Mayor Darryl Grennell said he saw a copy of the petition and has also talked to employees about the city's health insurance coverage.

Grennell said he talked to one employee who had to come up with $1,300 out-of-pocket to pay for a routine procedure. Grennell said he received the very same procedure last year when he was insured under Adams County's health insurance coverage.

"Do you know how much I had to come up with? Zero. Zero dollars," Grennell said. "That's the way it should be for our city employees."

Grennell said he had the opportunity to switch the city's health insurance when he became mayor, but stuck with a Blue Cross Blue Shield plan he already had.

"I purchased my plan through the state," he said. "I had a chance to switch over, but I couldn't find anybody around here that was familiar (with the city's coverage) for me to risk switching from my (current) insurance."

Grennell said he would like to see the city take up the issue of insurance again.

"My position is that the city employees are already underpaid, and we at least need to provide them with the best benefits we can," Grennell said.

Grennell said his recommendation to the board of aldermen would be to reopen the health insurance discussion, but he is not sure if the aldermen will be open to that idea.

The Natchez-Adams County Chamber of Commerce contacted Grennell Monday, offering to coordinate with chamber members in related professions to objectively evaluate the insurance proposals the city received and make a recommendation.

"Personally, I would love to see that happen," Grennell said.

The board of aldermen is scheduled to meet today in the City Council Chambers, with the finance meeting at 4:30 p.m. and the regular meeting at 6 p.m. Health insurance is not on the agenda, but could come up for discussion.

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