County health insurance jumps for some

In October 2010, Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett raised health insurance prices for a bunch of his employees.

You can read the story by clicking right smack here.

Now, he's implemented some more increases that have quite a few workers (I'd imagine that would be at least 1,000 or so) pretty upset.

The county offers three plans – call them Option 1, 2, 3. (I know, real original.) Most folks are on Option 2. Not many are on No. 3 cause it's pretty pricey. Anyhoo, the mayor implemented a 6 percent increase for the first two options for "family only" plans. (Individual and individual plus 1 is no increase, which is 59 percent of the employees.) And a 12 percent across-the-board increase for the third option, which is coincidentally 12 percent of the employees.

In addition, he reduced the amount of incentives employees can receive under the first two plans. (there were never any incentives offered under the third one. So, don't ask.)

Last year, employees under Option 1 could get up to $750 in incentives. Option 2 provided for up to $500. The max now is $250. (All this has to do with whether you smoke or how much you don't earn.)

Initially employees making less than $30,000 a year with dependent medical coverage could get a $300 inventive (Plan 1) or $200 a year knocked off (Plan 2). Under the new rules, both plans will knock off up to $125 a year for employees earning less than $50,000.

Also, before it was cool if your spouse smoked. You still got the bonus if you didn't. Now your wife or husband better not pick up a cigarette or chew the tobacco. Or dip. Or whatever.

Also, apparently, whatever, the mayor didn't consult with the Employee Insurance Committee for their recommendations about the new policy. That's got some people upset, too. But, in his defense, the mayor probably doesn't know such a committee exists.

Heh.

Finally, I know I probably bored you to tears with this post, but whatever.

I figured I'd pass the information along.