Posted: 9/14/04
County to stay with same health coverage
By David Heiller
Argus News Editor
Houston County commissioners passed a motion on September 7 to keep the countyís current health insurance coverage with Blue Cross/Blue Shield (BC/BS).
The vote was 3-0, with Larry Graf, Nels Gulbranson, and Ann Thompson voting yes. Dave Corcoran abstained because he works for one of the companies involved in the discussion. Kevin Kelleher was absent.
County personnel director Tim Comstock researched several options with the goal of saving money for the county.
His recommendations to the county board on September 7 were explained by Joan Grotjahn, an analyst with Minnesota Counties Insurance Trust (MCIT). An insurance committee that was open to all county employees also approved the recommendations to keep all the current providers in place.
The BC/BS quote for health insurance was $1,100,826 annually. This is the cost of all premiums paid by both employees and the county. It is a $79,806 increase (8 percent) over the 2004 cost of $1,021,020.
The estimated budget amount for the county's 2005 insurance premium contribution is $856,169. The employee portion would be $164,851.
HealthPartnersí bid of $1,068,696 was five percent more than the current BC/BS rate, and Service Cooperativeís bid of $1,056,888 was four percent more.
But both of the lower-priced quotes had disadvantages, Grotjahn said. County employees would be subject to higher deductibles and maximum out of pocket expenses, as well as higher deductible and coinsurance costs on accidents. HealthPartners also does not cover a separate out of pocket maximum for drugs.
The Caledonia Clinic-Franciscan Skemp is not a part of the HealthPartners network, and an estimated half of the county employees use the clinic. BC/BS covers visits to the Caledonia Clinic, Grotjahn said.
Other insurance carriers also stayed the same, including life insurance through Minnesota Life, and voluntary dental and long-term disability through Assurant.
Nels Gulbranson thanked Comstock for doing the analysis, and said it was a good endeavor.
Comstock replied that the process was good education for the employees, and showed them that county officials are looking at all the options.
Grotjahn was able to explain to employees why other workplaces offer what some employees felt was better insurance, Comstock said. He explained to The Argus on September 8 that the other insurance carriers that county employees were talking about were not an option for Houston County to consider, because the companies were based in Wisconsin.
Conditional use permits
The board also approved five conditional use permits that the county planning commission had recommended. They were for:
ï Bluff Country LLC, Browns-ville Township, preliminary plat and multi-family dwelling units in a residential area (two permits). Developer Michael Sexauer will now bring back five copies of a final plat, which will be reviewed by various county officials, including the engineer and surveyor.
ï William Heublein, Money Creek Township, to build a house on less than 40 acres in an ag district.
ï John and Sherree Koch, Caledonia Township, to operate a dog kennel, with the stipulation that it have a maximum of 15 dogs.
ï Wayne and Chris Houdek, Mayville Township, to build a manure holding basin.
Commissioners denied a request from Beverly Hanson and Larry Hanson, Yucatan Township, to rezone from Ag to Residential. This was also denied by the planning commission, based on the fact that the existing structure and lot is in a flood plain, and because no information was presented to show where the 100 year flood plain was located.
County zoning director Bob Scanlan reviewed the variances and conditional use and zoning permits with county commissioners. (See related story for a list of zoning permits that were approved
Scanlan explained the four variances that had been granted to Bluff Country LLC. The variances centered on lot size and setbacks.
Those kinds of things will have to be addressed by looking at ordinances from other counties or cities, because the county canít keep doing variances like that, Larry Graf said.
Homeland Security grant
The board passed a motion approving the 2004 Homeland Security grant.
Robert Gross, Houston County Veteran Service Officer/Emergency Management Director, gave The Argus a list of items to be purchased with the $50,000 grant. They include thermal imaging cameras and stretchers for city fire and emergency medical units; ID card machine for county and local emergency responders; and an ATV with a cart for sheriff and responder use. Previous grants have included radios, air tanks, digital cameras, hazmat supplies, EMS supplies, stretchers, metal detectors, voice amplifiers, training, classes.
Other business
ï The board approved a resolution to update the Houston County Comprehensive Water Management Plan.
ï The board received a memo that Southeastern Minnesota Multi-County Housing and Redevelopment Authority in Wabasha had canceled its request for $16,137 to help pay for rental assistance, because another source of funding had been found.
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