|
|
|
|
||
|
||
|
|
||
| SEARCH | SUBSCRIBE | ||
|
 |
Health
plan payments to increase St.
Clair County officials are bracing for a daylong firestorm of criticism
from county retirees Wednesday when changes to the retirees' health plans
and prescription co-pays formally are announced. The
proposal calls for a switch in medical coverage from Blue Cross-Blue
Shield Traditional Plan to Community Blue Plan 2, which could cost
retirees more in co-pays. However, Feltman said the new insurance plan
provides better coverage. The
county also is proposing an increase of co-pays for prescriptions from $2
to $10 for generic drugs and from $2 to $20 for name-brand drugs. "It's
just not fair," said Gerald St. James, 67, of St.
James and his wife, Ruth, also 67, take 10 prescriptions between the two
of them. He estimates the increase in the co-pay would cost him between
$100 and $200 per month, or $1,200 to $2,400 a year. "That
would be a great financial burden," he said. Feltman
announced the changes to the retirees in an Oct. 22 letter. "For
the long-term health of the county as an organization, a new strategy for
providing affordable, quality health care must be developed and
implemented," he wrote. In
addition to the county's retirees, the plan will affect all nonunion
employees, which includes Feltman and members of the management team. "We're
not doing this to balance the budget," said Board of Commissioners
Chairman Lee Masters, "Our
insurance bill is $6 million and in five years it's going to be $14
million. The next thing we'd have to do is to lay off people or cut
services. "It's
just a sign of the times." Copyright
© 2002 Global Action on Aging |
