County rates will be going up

Health insurance rates for Jay County government are going up in 2019.

It’s only a matter of how much.

“I know this is not good news,” Jessica Clayton of Platinum Benefit Services, the county’s insurance consultant, told Jay County Commissioners on Monday.

So far this year, the county’s health insurance claims are dramatically outpacing the amount paid to Physicians Health Plan in premiums.

Claims are running 23 percent higher than premiums.

“This is the worst we’ve ever been,” said county auditor Anna Culy, noting that this year’s 123-percent mark compares to last year’s 80 percent.

“This is significantly worse,” said Culy. “Insurance has always been a problem for the county.”

Clayton said the county’s plan has seven “high-cost” claimants,” including one whose claims total more than $415,000.

The county switched to PHP at the start of the year after facing a large rate increase from Anthem, but no matter what carrier is selected for 2019 the rates are likely to jump because of the claim experience.

Clayton, who has worked on the county’s health insurance for seven years, reviewed a number of options with commissioners, including self-funding, which she did not recommend.

“With your group and your experience, fully-insured is the way to remain,” said Clayton.

Commissioners are especially worried about the impact on those with family coverage, which borders on unaffordable, and may be looking at a two-tier plan in the future.

“It doesn’t paint a pretty picture,” said commissioner Chuck Huffman.

It also complicates planning for next year’s budget.

Culy said she will advertise the 2019 budget at a higher level to give the county the room it needs. Once advertised, the budget can be cut but it cannot be raised.

“I don’t want to chance it,” she said. “I will just advertise high.”

Though Culy has expressed support for Platinum and the services provided to county employees, commissioners are also looking at other insurance consultants. Those submitting letters of interest in addition to Platinum are USI, Ertel and Bixler Insurance.

In other business, commissioners:

•Heard county engineer Dan Watson say that he will be applying for $783,000 in Indiana Department of Transportation Community Crossings grant funds for work on Boundary Pike and $367,000 for work on road 500 West. He said he and community developer Ami Huffman are also working on Community Crossings applications for Salamonie, Bryant and Pennville.

•Were told by Huffman that the road committee is working on a plan that would attempt to convert 4 to 5 miles of stone road to hard surface annually.

•Asked Gary Barnett of Jay Emergency Medical Service to get two price quotes on a Braun ambulance to be purchased in 2019. JEMS already has three Brauns, and Barnett said the staff is familiar with the equipment, which is manufactured in Van Wert, Ohio.

•Opted to have a metal barn roof put on the JEMS building at a cost of $6,800 by commissioner Mike Leonhard’s construction company. Leonhard, who was the low bidder, abstained from the vote. Other quotes were for standing seam roofs and were significantly higher.

•Were urged by wind farm opponent Jeff Birsfield to ask the county council to reject Scout Clean Energy’s new application for a tax abatement for Bitter Ridge Wind Farm.

“I don’t see how they can come back and ask for an abatement,” he said.

•Were told that about 25 percent of county employees have not participated in the KnowB4 training aimed at increasing cyber security for the county’s email server.

•Noted that the focus of their next meeting will be the 2019 budget.