Most Luzerne County unions paying at least 12% toward health insurance, analysis shows

Dec. 31--Employees in seven of Luzerne County government's 10 unions will pay at least 12% toward health insurance in 2020, showing strong advancement beyond the past goal of 10%, according to a review of collective bargaining agreements.

One of the seven -- the court-appointed support union -- is switching from 10% to the new 12% on Jan. 1.

The six others already had been at 12%: court-related, detectives, residual, Mental Health/Developmental Services, Children and Youth and the Agency on Aging.

An eighth union -- the court-appointed professional unit representing probation and domestic relations support officers -- will increase from 10% to 12% in 2021, contracts show.

The two remaining unions representing assistant district attorneys/public defenders and prison workers have not finalized new contracts and are working under agreements that expired the end of 2018 containing 10% contributions.

In comparison, non-union employees have been paying 10% toward health care since 2014, when prior commissioners started the push to move all workers to that percentage. Strides converting the lion's share of union workers to an even higher 12% will likely step up pressure to increase the non-union percentage in 2022.

Some newer union workers already have advanced to payments of 15%, contracts show:

--Court-related employees hired after May 1, 2013

--Court-appointed support workers hired since the start of 2016

--Residual workers hired since the beginning of 2014

--Probation and domestic relations support officers hired after Jan. 1, 2020

--Human service workers in Mental Health/Developmental Services, Children and Youth and the Agency on Aging hired on or after March 27, 2018

Supervisory employees in these three human service departments also must pay 15% if they were hired since the start of 2017, while those hired before that year pay 10%. These workers are not counted under the 10 union contracts because they instead have special memorandums of understanding that expire the end of 2019 and are under negotiation.

Paying more

County Manager C. David Pedri said has said he would consider a percentage increase for non-union workers in the future but has not implemented one for 2020.

However, Pedri stressed the contributions of all workers will increase in 2020 because the percentage amounts are based on the actual cost, which is rising.

"Luzerne County employees are paying more than they ever have in the past toward health insurance," Pedri said, noting he also wrapped up an ongoing county initiative to convert all unions from flat dollar amount contributions to percentages.

Due to the types of plans and varied percentages involved, two sets of numbers are necessary to present the contribution difference from this year to 2020.

In 2019, employees are paying these amounts every two weeks at 10%, 12% and 15%, records show:

--Single: $28.61/$34.33/$42.92

--Employee/spouse: $80.11/$96.14/$120.17

--Employee/child: $57.22/$68.67/$85.84

--Employee/children: $71.53/$85.84; $107.29

--Family: $88.70/$106.44/$133.04

The 2020 contributions every two weeks under the same three percentages:

--Single: $30.47/$36.56/$45.70

--Employee/spouse: $85.30/$102.36/$127.96

--Employee/child: $60.93/$73.12/$91.40

--Employee/children: $76.16/$91.40/$114.25

--Family: $94.44/$113.33/$141.67

These dollar amounts apply to the county's Highmark HMO plan, which includes a $500 deductible -- $1,000 for family -- that kicks in for many services, officials have said. County employees can opt to pay more for a PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) plan, with two-week, 2020 payments at 10% ranging from $64.57 for single coverage to $200.14 for family, records show.

At his recent annual forum, Pedri said next year's 3.25% tax hike is essentially covering two increases -- a $2.2 million rise in health insurance and $1.5 million employee pension fund subsidy hike.

Pedri said the health insurance is actually increasing $600,000 next year, but the county also must make up for $1.6 million in health care spending that council had covered with one-time revenue no longer available.

Overall, the county has budgeted a $20.75 million expense for health care in 2020 and $8.5 million in reimbursements on the revenue side.

Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.

___

(c)2019 The Times Leader (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.)

Visit The Times Leader (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) at www.timesleader.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.