Changes in insurance

Overall medical insurance premiums for Jay Schools won’t increase in the year ahead, but changes in state law will have an impact on how the cost of premiums is split between the school corporation and employees.
Business manager Brad DeRome told the Jay School Board Monday that HEA 1260 seeks to rein in public school expenditures for health insurance.
“If we don’t reduce our medical contributions to employees on an average basis, we will be forced to go to the state medical insurance plans as of Jan. 1, 2014,” DeRome said.
“With the new law, there’s a high likelihood it’s going to cost employees more,” said superintendent Tim Long.
DeRome said medical insurance with Anthem will have no increase upon renewal June 1, while dental and vision coverage through Delta Dental will go up 5 percent.
The school corporation has offered three different levels of medical insurance coverage in the past and is adding a fourth level of coverage in the year ahead.
But in all cases, the school corporation’s contribution will remain the same.
“We’re going to be capped at $7,000 and $16,000” for individual and family coverage respectively, Long said.
Employees with single coverage under Plan A will see an annual premium increase of $1,586, while family coverage annual premiums under Plan A will drop $297 per year.
Employees with single coverage under Plan B will see an annual premium increase of $1,338, while family coverage annual premiums under Plan B will drop $1,068 per year.
Employees with single coverage under Plan C will see an annual premium increase of $651, while family coverage annual premiums under Plan C will drop $1,142 per year.
New this year will be Plan D, a $3,000 deductible plan, which would have a total premium of $225 per year for single employee coverage and $512 for family coverage.
Plan D would allow employees to establish Health Savings Accounts under federal law.
In all cases, the school corporation’s contribution would be the same.
“Because we’re reducing what we pay for Plan A, Plan B, or Plan C, certain individuals may see an increase,” said DeRome. “It will force individuals to make choices.”
DeRome said “at least 50 people” have single coverage under Plan A, which would see the largest increase in an employee’s cost.
Board members expressed discomfort with the thought of shifting the burden of premiums to employees and first voted to approve renewal of the Anthem and Delta Dental coverage before acting on how the costs would be split.
Eventually, both the renewal and the premium split were approved 7-0, though board member Mike Masters indicated he’d like to see a pay adjustment to help cover the cost to employees.
“We might give them a little bump on salary,” he said.
The board unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding with support staff that results in an overall pay increase of 2 percent as recommended by DeRome.
Board members were not unanimous in approving the consent agenda, with Masters and Kristi Betts dissenting. Masters said Tuesday part of his concern was a change in titles for Jeremy Gulley and Trent Paxson without having new job descriptions in hand.
Gulley, who has been RISE coordinator for Jay County High School, becomes director of teacher effectiveness. Paxson, who has been RISE coordinator for elementary and middle schools, becomes director of testing and assessment.
It’s expected Gulley and Paxson will be assuming some of the duties of Wood Barwick, whose retirement as assistant superintendent was approved Monday. Barwick was also honored by being named a Person of Character as part of the school corporation’s Character Counts program.
Long noted that the Indiana Department of Education has recognized Pennville Elementary School and East Elementary School as 2011-2012 Four Star schools. The designation is based upon student ISTEP scores and attendance rates.
In other business, the board:
•Approved pre-school fees, substitute bus driver pay, after-school tutoring and detention pay rates, credit recovery pay rates, and latch key prices for the coming year with no changes from their current levels.
•Approved the summer school curriculum as presented by Barwick.
•Amended the policy on procedures for students charging school meals in an effort to assure that all students receive an adequate lunch and no food goes to waste.
•Approved elementary and textbook rental fees for the 2013-2014 school year.
Fees will be as follows: Kindergarten $105.86, first grade $119.79, second grade $105.87, third grade $127.26, fourth grade $119.16, and fifth grade $120.16.
•Approved a lease-purchase agreement for 71 new iMac computers for the graphic arts department at JCHS at a cost of $110,378, spread over three years. The board also approved new graphic arts textbooks for next school year.
•Agreed at the request of board member Kristi Betts to review substitute teacher pay, which has remained at $60 per day for the past nine years, at a future board meeting.
•Moved the July board meeting from July 22 to July 15.
•Set an executive session to discuss collective bargaining for 5:30 p.m. on Monday, June 10. The regular board meeting will follow at 7 p.m. on that date.
•Hired Ann VanHorn as special education director, Debbie Aker as food service manager at Westlawn and Redkey elementaries, and Kipp Horine as third shift custodian at JCHS.
•Accepted the retirement resignations of Bloomfield Elementary School second grade teacher Bonnie Badders, bus driver Marjorie Baldwin, bus driver Barb Stults, and instructional assistant Vicki Keen.
•Accepted the resignation of instructional assistant KyliAnn Kelso.
•Accepted the extra-curricular assignment resignations of Joni Aulbach as JCHS freshman class sponsor, Ingrid Saxman as East Elementary student council sponsor, Sarah Mescher as assistant volleyball coach at JCHS, Ryan Steinbrunner as JCHS assistant boys’ golf coach, Lisa Wellman as JCHS assistant softball coach, Doug Johnson as cross country and track coach at East Jay Middle School, and Gay Jobe as cheer sponsor at East Elementary.

[[In-content Ad]]