Insurance coverage is an important benefit and a valuable recruitment and retention tool. To ensure that high quality insurance is available for eligible Contra Costa County employees and retirees, the County contracts for group health, dental and life insurance, voluntary vision insurance, as well as computer vision care coverage, on an annual basis with a number of carriers/providers. The County's existing insurance and coverage contracts are for the calendar year and expire December 31, 2017. In order to ensure uninterrupted coverage for enrolled members (eligible active employees, retired employees and survivors of retired employees) staff requests authorization from the Board of Supervisors to renew existing insurance coverage at the rates provided on the attached chart. This information indicates the different premium structures - either a Two Tier or Three Tier - based on what has been negotiated with various bargaining groups.
To assist the County in negotiating the best possible health care terms for our active and retired employees, the County contracts with Buck Consultants, who has expertise in employee benefit plan design and rate structure.
The increases seen in the renewal rates from Kaiser and Health Net are impacted by the return of the Health Insurance Tax, a requirement under the Affordable Care Act, which was waived for 2017, but reinstated for 2018. All health/medical insurance contracts continue to offer essential health/medical benefits and coverage compliant with the requirements of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Proposed rates for the 2018 plan year for the medical, dental, life insurance or computer vision care coverage offered to eligible employees, retirees or survivors of employees are attached and are effective January 1, 2018.
In summary for 2018, there is no increase to supplemental life insurance or the dental plan premiums, VSP Voluntary Vision and CVC plan; and a $0.064% decrease to basic life insurance.
Additionally, the County is now offering an employee paid Commuter Benefit Program that allows employees to set aside pre-tax dollars to help pay for public transportation expenses such as bus, train and ferry fees as well as work related parking expenses.
In order to prevent the disruption of services for group benefits that are offered to eligible employees and their dependents, it is necessary to execute contract renewals prior to open enrollment which is planned for October 2017 for the 2018 plan year.