In Neptune: Reduction Planned In Benefit Costs
By ANDREW CANGIANO
Neptune Township will not be changing insurance carriers, but township officials are looking to reduce costs in providing the towns employees with health insurance.
At its meeting on Monday, the township committee voted to table a resolution to accept a proposal from Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield for health benefits coverage for township employees.
Committeeman James Manning Jr., who proposed tabling the resolution, said Neptune is trying to reduce costs while offering the same or better healthcare benefits to employees.
The committee voted to hold a special meeting to discuss the resolution on November 3 during its meeting on Monday.
However, after conferring with Mayor Thomas Catley and committeeman Michael Golub, who were both unable to attend this weeks meeting, the committee decided to scrap the idea of holding the special meeting.
Instead, an insurance review committee has been formed to look into the idea of switching from the state health insurance program to obtaining health insuranc coverage privately, albeit with the same health care provider, said Michael Bascom, the townships chief financial officer.
Neptune administration staff, retired township employees, and union representatives will meet with officials from Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield and review state health benefits contracts and proposals.
The insurance review committee will make its recommendations to the township committee, which will ultimately decide which direction to head to provide health care for Neptunes employees.
The township had considered opting out of the states health benefits plan in order to privately negotiate healthcare coverage through Grinspec Consulting, of which Ted Wardell is the broker of record.
We have been talking to different insurance carriers to see if we can provide our employees with the same coverage, the same network of doctors, the same or better benefits, without affecting our employees, Manning said at the township committee meeting on Monday.
The committee approved a resolution to terminate participation in the state health benefits program, as the township needs to give the state 60 days advance notification to stop coverage.
The committee assured the audience that the township can go back on the states health benefits program if it so chooses, without any break in coverage.
Manning said committee members and representatives from Blue Cross Blue Shield will give presenations explaining the proposed change in health care coverage to township employees in the period before the special meeting on November 3.
We want to make sure our employees understand that were not reducing our benefits, he said. Theyre going to have better or equal coverage than they currently have.
Business Administrator Phil Huhn stressed that the township does not plan to change healthcare carriers.
Were not changing carriers, he said. If we go with the proposal we keep Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield, we just dont participate with the state, which would give us the ability to negotiate with Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield on the premiums.
He said high premiums is what is driving up healthcare costs within the state benefit plan.
As it is now, the state just comes in and says You guys are getting a 24% increase, have a nice day, and we have no recourse, Huhn said. But by doing this [negotiating privately], we stay with the carrier, the same groups, the same networks, with some added wrinkles that are increased benefits for the employees; and we have the ability to try and negotiate the premiums with Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield.
Manning said the town spends over $3 million a year on health care coverage for its current and former employees.
He said the process of going about notifying employees about possible changes in health benefits could have been done smoother.
Committeman Randy Bishop apologized to the township employees in the audience for not properly communicating with the public.
We dropped the ball in communicating with you and among ourselves, he said. We caused a lot of angst to happen.
The committed assured the audience that if it does opt out of the state benefits plan, employees healthcare coverage will continue un-interrupted.
In other news Neptunes recreation director Dawn Thompson announced that the township will be submitting a grant application to the Monmouth County Open Space grant program for new playground equipment and surfacing at five playgrounds within the township: Bert Willis Field, Memorial Park, Sunshine Village Park, Loffredo Field, and Liberty Park.
More than just replacing the equipment thats there, were really looking to bring our equipment up to safety codes, to surfacing standards, and ADA compliance, Thompson said. The goal of the grant program is to acquire, preserve and improve
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