Delaware County to save $3.4 million with employee benefit offerings package

MEDIA — Delaware County officers anticipate saving at the least $3.4 million as workers look to take part within the first lively advantages enrollment current officers can recall.

“This would be the county’s first lively enrollment in anybody’s reminiscence,” County Councilwoman Christine Reuther stated of the enrollment that may happen in October with advantages for 2023.

County Councilwoman Elaine Paul Schaefer added, “Identical supplier, identical precise protection companies in order that no person within the county goes to should go change medical doctors now.”

And, County Council Chairwoman Dr. Monica Taylor emphasised, “There are not any adjustments to retirement advantages. Completely no adjustments.”

Workers might be requested to contribute month-to-month in direction of these advantages, as officers defined that is according to practices in surrounding counties.

Jamal Johnson, Delaware County’s chief personnel officer/human sources director, who was working in tandem with Marsh & McLennan Company LLC, introduced the Worker Advantages Plan Design for subsequent 12 months to Delaware County Council.

He stated the brand new package deal will save the county an estimated $3.4 million — with the potential to avoid wasting a further $2.5 million with an anticipated 6 to 12 p.c financial savings in annual claims.

Final 12 months, Delaware County launched a Devoted Name Middle for workers who’ve questions and it’ll once more be lively beginning on the finish of this month. At the moment, workers can name 1-877-731-2432 from 8:30 a.m. to five:30 p.m. Monday by way of Friday.

The county worker enrollment website can also be https://advantages.plansource.com/logon/delco.

“We’ve retained the PPO and HMO plans supplied by way of Independence in addition to high-deductible well being care plan,” Johnson stated. “We’ve additionally vastly expanded the dental profit for many individuals in addition to supply imaginative and prescient to all workers.”

Three medical plan choices might be made obtainable, together with the PPO and HMO plans by way of Independence Blue Cross and one other excessive deductible well being care plan might be supplied for workers who anticipate little to no utilization of the county medical plan.

Within the PPO and HMO plans, in-network preventative care is roofed one hundred pc with a member deductible of $100. Out-of-pocket prices for in-network are $2,000 for members and $4,000 for households. Emergency room visits are $150 however waived if admitted with pressing care costing $50 and telemedicine at $40 a session.

The household restrict deductible is $300 within the PPO plan with none within the HMO.

Within the excessive deductible plan, one hundred pc of in-network preventative care is roofed. There’s a $2,000 member deductible and a $4,000 household deductible for in-network prices. Out-of-pocket maximums for in-network take care of members is $5,000 yearly and for households are $10,000. There may be additionally a county well being financial savings account subsidy for these on this plan.

Delaware County workers may even be contributing month-to-month to their well being care plans.

These within the excessive deductible plan who’re single pays nothing month-to-month and household protection might be $104.17 a month. The PPO plan will price singles $41.67 a month and $104.17 for households. The HMO will price single members $83.33 monthly and $625 a month for households.

Comparatively, Montgomery County workers contribute $338.82 a month for single PPO protection and $998.24 a month for household PPO protection and $32 a month for single HMO protection and $108.56 a month for HMO plans for households. Excessive deductible plan contributions for Montgomery County workers was not obtainable.

In Chester County, workers contribute $83.15 monthly for single workers and $324.60  a month for household protection. Excessive deductible plans for Chester County workers vary from $35 a month per single workers to $194.30 for household protection. HMO contribution quantities weren’t obtainable for Chester County.

“We discover that Delaware County is extraordinarily price aggressive on the employer contribution,” Johnson stated in evaluating the counties’ advantages.

Relating to the dental profit, Guardian protection with a one hundred pc paid profit might be phased out and workers will transition to an Aetna providing.

Johnson stated county workers pay between $20 to $72 monthly on common for the dental profit. In 2023, workers pays between $10 to $25 a month for single protection, and $40 to $86 monthly per household protection primarily based on the plan chosen.

Subsequent 12 months, the county may even supply workers imaginative and prescient protection by way of VSP.

“For a overwhelming majority of workers, this might be a brand new profit,” Johnson stated. “Workers pays simply over $2 a month for single protection and $6.50 for household imaginative and prescient.”

He added there might be no adjustments to the present protection for all times and incapacity advantages.

As well as, subsequent 12 months, workers might be supplied pre-tax spending accounts with maximums of $2,750 for well being care and $5,000 for dependent care.

Johnson stated a letter to workers concerning their advantages might be distributed on Aug. 17 with the decision heart opening on Aug. 31. There may even be a video presentation obtainable.

Open enrollment might be from Oct. 17 by way of Oct. 31.

Taylor defined that along with the hotline, workers could have entry to pc labs within the Authorities Middle, the place representatives might be obtainable in the course of the open enrollment interval to reply particular questions.

Reuther highlighted that any particular person who receives county advantages should signal again up for his or her advantages in the course of the enrollment time.

“The default goes to be to place you right into a excessive deductible well being plan for simply you and won’t cowl your loved ones members,” she stated.