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The Chairman CALLED THE QUESTION. The Board <br />unanimously approved the offering of the Blue Cross Blue <br />Shield B1ueMedicare Advantage Plan to eligible retirees on <br />a voluntary basis, effective June 1, 2008, as recommended <br />in the memorandum of April 2, 2008. <br />12.D.3. HEALTHINSURANCE SUBSIDYPOLICYFOR RETIREES <br />Human Resources Director Jim Sexton recapped his memorandum, dated April 2, <br />2008, declaring the significant cost savings to the County, should eligible retirees elect to switch to <br />the BlueMedicare Advantage Plan. He explained that due to the exorbitant cost of funding future <br />retiree benefits under the new legislation, employees who retire prior to June 1, 2008 would be <br />"grandfathered" under the current policy, and those employees serving more than 15 years (not <br />eligible for Medicare), would earn a 2% subsidy per year of service, up to 40%, to be used toward <br />the County's self-insured plan's premiums. Once the retiree becomes Medicare eligible, the <br />subsidy would cease, and those hired on or after February 1, 2006, would not be eligible for a <br />subsidy. On or after June 1, 2008, employees serving less than 15 years would not be eligible for <br />any subsidy. <br />Administrator Baird clarified that this was a pilot program <br />ON MOTION by Commissioner O'Bryan, SECONDED by <br />Chairman Bowden, the Board unanimously approved the <br />revised Retiree Health Insurance Subsidy Policy, effective <br />June 1, 2008, as recommended in the memorandum of <br />April 2, 2008. <br />42 <br />April 8, 2008 <br />