County to Pay Full Cost of Health Insurance Increases for Employees – Again

Fayette County Commissioners voted last Thursday to absorb the cost of health insurance increases for County employees.

Commissioners learned two weeks ago that health insurance premiums for employees would rise by 8.7 percent next year. If all County employees stay with the same insurance plan, the cost will amount to about $100,000, according to the Fayette County Auditor’s Office.

“We played with the numbers and added a small increase to the premiums to where the employees share that increase, and it only saved the County about $20,000 without substantially raising their premiums,” said Paula Vogel of the Fayette County Auditor’s Office. “That’s also something to think about when we talk about raises.”

This month Commissioners began planning for next year’s budget. They have not yet made any decisions involving raises for County employees.

“I hope department heads will sit down with employees and explain this to them,” said Pct. 3 Commissioner Harvey Berckenhoff. “Everybody comes to us when it comes to raise time. There’s a lot of factors that go into it than just saying, ‘Here’s a five or ten percent raise.’ Insurance is part of that.”

The County absorbed the full cost of health insurance increases last year as well, Vogel said.

“I agree with Commissioner Berckenhoff,” said County Judge Dan Mueller. “The employees should be made aware that, in essence, this is kind of like a raise.”

“There’s no way the County can compete with the pay that other people are paying their employees,” said Pct. 4 Commissioner Drew Brossmann. “This is one way we try to supplement what we offer. Your retirement and your insurance are a big part of it.

“You don’t think that much about it when you’re young and healthy. But when you get to a certain age, you look back and say, ‘This is a really, really good deal.’”