Health insurance premiums reduced in school district employees medical plan

Watertown Daily Times (NY)

Jun. 30--MASSENA -- Health insurance premiums for school districts participating in the St. Lawrence-Lewis Counties School District Employees Medical Plan have been reduced from an anticipated 6 percent increase next year to a 2.6 percent increase.

Massena Central School Superintendent Patrick Brady told board of education members that's because of the impact of the COVID-19 virus.

He said hospitals had made staff cuts and haven't been able to do elective surgeries and other non-COVID-related procedures.

"That has ended up saving the health insurance plan money. If you remember, we've been looking originally at a 6 percent increase in health insurance premiums for next year. They were able to shave it down to 4.25 percent. Now, because of the savings through COVID, they were able to shave it down to a 2.6 percent increase in our health insurance premiums. So that's the upside of this," Mr. Brady said.

He also told board members that a five-year audit of the plan will be done by the New York State Department of Financial Services, which governs health insurance plans in the state. That will take about six months to complete.

"It's a planned audit," he said.

New officers have been installed for the board of directors, with Harrisville Central School Superintendent Rob Finster taking over for Gouverneur Central School Business Manager Carol Lasala as president.

The Plan Administration Office is also on track to be phased out by September. Excellus Blue Cross/Blue Shield took over health administration of the plan on Jan. 1.

That function had been handled by staff at St. Lawrence-Lewis Board of Cooperative Educational Services working in BOCES' administrative offices for more than 30 years.

"As you know, Excellus took over our plan administration effective January 1st. So they will be administering our St. Lawrence-Lewis plan. However, we still had some claims coming in that occurred before January 1st. So they've kept on some of the employees in the St. Lawrence-Lewis office and they are on track to transition them out by September. So they're down to just a couple of employees in that office. Then Excellus will be totally the administrator," Mr. Brady said.

He also reported that a request from the Lisbon Central School District to extend the deadline for notification to leave the plan was rejected.

"If a district wants to leave, they have to let the plan know in writing by April 30th to leave July 1st. They wanted that extended, and that was rejected," he said.

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