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[clears throat]

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» Good morning everyone.
I'd like to

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call this special called meeting
to order September the 8th, 2026 at 8:00

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a.m.
We do have a certification of a quorum.

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We do not have public comments at this
time.

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And um
we are just going to go in to item

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number four.
Consideration of and action on

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resolution R-2026-48
authorizing renewal of employee health

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plan with Blue Cross Blue Shield of
Texas

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for fiscal year 2027 and authorizing the
city manager or their designee to

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execute all relevant documents.
>> Yep. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you all

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again for coming
for this special called meeting. It was

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important because
if we are to implement item number two,

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we need time to do that before the plan
expires at the end of the or before the

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plan kicks in October 1. And so that is
why you're here. In front of you is

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resolution R-2026-48.
That resolution simply sets the ceiling

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for how high we can go on health
insurance. Uh

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the worst case scenario that we found on
this health insurance is 57% renewal. I

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will tell you that your fiscal uh
proposed budget cannot support that. Uh

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the the top of the
the threshold for

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uh the plan redesign
with moving sales tax to a very

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uncomfortable level for your finance
director and myself. Meaning setting

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sales tax at the current sales tax
collections

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would be to go up to to not quite 48%.
So, you do have room. Uh we we set the

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sales tax really low in this proposed
budget just because of what happened

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last year. Uh but there there is the
ability to to go above the 10% we have

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right now. So, I think Kobe, are you
prepared to say anything or do you want

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the chips to fall where they fall?
Um Renee, do you want to introduce

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where we are right now as of this
moment?

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» Good morning.
>> Good morning.

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» This is one of the years that's not as
much fun as the other years.

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Basically, what's happened this year is
we had a horrible year with our premium

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what we pay versus our claims.
Okay? Our claims are horrible. A good

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year we run about 65 to 70% premium
versus claims, so there's a 30% profit

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to pay it administration fees and all
that.

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This year we are running at 996%.
So,

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it's we're having a horrible year. We
have over $10 million in claims.

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And
>> Kobe, when you say we, you're saying the

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city.
>> City. I'm sorry. City and employees or

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like that. So, basically, what we do
every year is we put a RFP request for

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proposal and we go out and we go to
United Healthcare, we go to Cigna, we go

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to Blue Cross, we go to Aetna, or
whoever will write. We even went to

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company called Angle, Arlo, Curative.
We're searching hard to find somebody

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else. And everybody's declining us. So,
there's nobody playing ball with Blue

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Cross this year. Usually, we can find
somebody

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that will play, then we'll go back and
forth and get them to negotiate. But

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being that we're running so bad, nobody
wants our

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case. So,
there's nobody want that there's just

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nobody to do it. So, what we're trying
to do is

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be creative and try different plan
designs, um you know, just to [snorts]

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make it affordable for the city.
Um and the only only being that we only

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have Blue Cross to work with, they
didn't even come off their number.

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Usually, they'll come off 20, 15, 20%
depending. They just stayed cuz they I

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mean, let's just be honest, they
probably don't want the business either

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right now. So, what we're trying to do
is get creative working with the city is

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find ways to get our claims versus
premium

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back to where we need to get it. So,
we're looking at implementing programs

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to possibly help, you know, the
employees or the families that are

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having claims and uh possibly getting
them some better just help them out, try

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to help them out first. That's our first
priority.

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But, that being said, we are uh we came
across another program called the

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difference card. And what they do is
when you move to a higher deductible

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plan, of course, there's cost savings.
So, say you go from a

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1,500 to a 6,000, 7,000 deductible,
there's like 20, 30, sometimes 35% of

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savings
to make it more affordable. But, what

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the difference card does, and this is
the first time I've used them, is they

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come in and they'll design a program to
where

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we save the 30, 40% with Blue Cross Blue
Shield, but then they'll design a

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program to where the employees'
deductible really isn't the $7,000.

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They'll use all that savings to come in
and implement a program and an

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administrator for us to where maybe the
deductible's only 1,500 or 4,000 to keep

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it reasonable and not this full, you
know, 7 to $10,000 out of pocket that

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we're faced with right now. So, we're
looking at the difference card. I know

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that's on the agenda as one of them. Uh
there's other programs we're looking at

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implementing to possibly help some of
these people out, too.

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But, in a nutshell, it's just it was a
it's been a bad year as far as premium

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versus claims, and
uh we're doing everything we can

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possibly do to keep health care for the
employees, you know, to keep a group

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health plan in there.
Uh I can tell you last year we did move

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to an HMO from a PPO. We had both of
them, and there was really no

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disturbance or any issues with the HMO.
It covered 98% of people here in El

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Campo. The local hospital worked with
them, but not only that, it covered all

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the people in Houston, Victoria, and all
that. So, we're looking in some options

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with them and just uh trying to get
creative, just to be honest, just keep

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health care for El Campo right now.
I'm open to any questions.

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I know I went to Yes, sir.
>> So, basically what the deal I'm

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understanding in layman's terms is that
we had so many claims.

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That's what created the difference and
so forth. Was there Is there any a

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reason here locally why Is there
something going on? Is it I mean, I know

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you can't disclose any personal
information, but what what area of

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claims was mostly utilized that made
this go up so badly this year?

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» We had We had multiple large claims.
>> Okay.

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» And I respect it. I wish I could tell
you more.

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» I'm not asking for
>> We had multiple. It just wasn't one

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claim. We've had multiple large claims.
And

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» Okay.
>> It's It's just

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It's been a bad year premium versus
claims.

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» So, it's nothing like a
>> No, it's It's not something like

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» pandemic or
>> somebody's using some type of medicine

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or something like that and we can If it
was like, okay, everybody's, you know,

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we have a bunch of diabetics, let's put
in a program to help these diabetics

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out.
>> Okay.

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» It's nothing like that. Or our whole
These are high blood pressure, let's

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implement a wellness program. It's just
been a horrible claim a horrible year

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for claims.
>> Okay.

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Thank you.
>> All right. Yes, sir.

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» Cowboy, it's pretty obvious from the
committee meeting to now that we can't

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afford Blue Cross Blue Shield.
So, can we get into the difference card

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to see which one's best that you came up
with?

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» Sure. Whatever you all want However you
all want to discuss it. Uh

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you have the difference card
presentations in front of you.

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Um I guess the one that Renee
and all of us have been discussing is

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the one that shows a $216,000 savings
possibly. I don't know which one you

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have there.
>> We've got We've got several.

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» Okay.
>> But but I think this is the one for the

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difference card, right?
>> Well, I just grabbed my

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» Yeah.
>> Uh excuse me. This chart today Is that

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something? I think
that is actually the difference card

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program is actually item number two.
>> Yes.

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» Uh so so I think what I think it has to
be to keep it simple, it has to be

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» Right.
>> separated. And then the first option is

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the Blue Cross Blue Shield and then the
second

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» And
and just just to be clear you Yeah,

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we've got to authorize Blue Cross Blue
Shield because we don't have anybody

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else.
>> Right. And then the difference card

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would come in and make up the difference
for a very watered down plan if that's

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the prerogative of the council.
>> Right, exactly. So so yeah, the

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difference card
like Kelly was saying it's it's

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basically another program that layers on
top of the Blue Cross Blue Shield

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traditional plan.
>> we need to authorize number one first.

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I make a motion we authorize resolution
2026-48.

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» Second.
>> We got a motion a second on the floor

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to approve resolution R 2026-48
as presented.

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Any further discussion?
All in favor?

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Motion passes. We will move on to item
number two.

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» Okay.
All right, thank [snorts] you.

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First of all, as we know Courtney said
we we're not going to go in with a 55

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plus That's not what we're looking at
doing. So we're going to

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alter plan design, get creative, do ways
something to help with the the employees

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keep it bring it down in the city.
The difference card is the next item on

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the on the agenda and what we did is we
found these people that go in and what

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they do if you look at your
presentation, I don't know which one

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exactly I have in front of
Uh but if you look

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Go to one of these pages. Mine's not as
pretty as yours.

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Okay.

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Basically what the difference card does
is they take Well, they they try to

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compare your current plan design and
then what they they do and the first one

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is your kind of your current benefits.
If you look for example, it says the

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employees have a $45 deductible, $90 for
specialist, $75

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uh it says what their deductible would
be on some of the plans which was a

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5,000, 8150 out of pocket. So, if you
had a major surgery, you'd be out of

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pocket 81,150 dollars, okay, on that
plan. But, what they do is they move

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your plan with the Blue Cross plan. If
you look, it's stripped down. It says

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deductible deductible deductible
deductible all the way to 7,500.

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And what that means is on that plan you
have no office copays, you have no

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prescription coverage, or nothing until
you hit 7,500 dollars.

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So, for an employee, that's that's not a
really good deal. That's something to

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look forward to, like, oh. So, what the
difference card comes in is they come in

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and create a different plan design.
Cuz there's like 30 to 40% savings when

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you do that, okay? Cuz you're not having
those deductibles. But, what we did know

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is to answer your question,
majority of our employees don't ever hit

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their deductible.
Okay? Let's just say eight to 10 hit it

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a year, possibly, out of 150.
So, we're taking that 30 40% savings and

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we're Let's just say we're putting it
into a bucket and we're going to use

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that to help the employees with their
claims.

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So, we're building a new plan design
where they have their Blue Cross card,

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and in their mind they're not seeing the
7,500 dollar deductible, okay? They're

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seeing a card right here at the on this
on the PPO plan which the rates are

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still very high. So, the next plan is
going to be the more attractive one.

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But, what this plan would be designed to
do, and this is for example cuz we're

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still negotiating, is that fair to say,
Renee, on on the rates with the

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difference card? Is if they went on the
PPO plan, the difference card would pay

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the first 1,500 dollars of any employees
uh

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medical bills. And if it's an employee
plus one, which is employee

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uh children, family, spouse, they would
pay the first 3,000 dollars of their

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medical bills.
So, they're not looking at the 7,500

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dollar big, you know, deductible. And
then what what happened then on this

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plan design, then the employees would
pay the back 6,000 if they got that far.

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Well, they're paying 8150 right now on
that plan. So, what what doing is

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actually increasing their benefits. The
rates are going up cuz there's nothing

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we can do, but we're trying to get
creative and find ways to help these

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employees out. Okay? So, that's where
the difference card comes in. You'd have

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a Blue Cross card, and you'd have
another card to where that's the card

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they would show, and they would have
first dollar coverage. So, for 90% of

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our employees basically that do not have
more more than a thousand or fifteen

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hundred up to three thousand of family
worth of claims, this is a really good

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deal for them.
Okay?

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It's more expensive. There's nothing we
can do about the cost right now, but

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we're like I said, what we're doing is
we're looking at creative ways of

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possibly help these people out, and
hopefully next year we'll look

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attractive and we can get the cost back
down. Okay? Cuz honestly, I've never had

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a 58% rate increase. Okay? So, uh
hopefully we can find ways to get the

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cost back down. So, that would be the
PPO plan that we're looking at, which

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not it's about 50/50 their own PPO
versus HMO. And you can still the rates

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really still do go up where it's almost
it's

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pretty expensive.
And then the next plan is the other I

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guess is the other PPO plan.
>> Second

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» Yeah. So, go to the third plan if you
don't mind, please.

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In the green on the bottom right it it
says 766 for the employee only rate.

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So, basically this is the plan
that um

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I think a majority of our employees are
going to are going to go, you know,

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steer towards. Your basic Blue Cross
Blue Shield plan right now was a $35

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copay, $70 for a specialist.
Uh the deductible was 2,000, and if you

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had a major surgery, it was 6,000. Okay?
So, if I had a knee replacement

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something, I'm out of pocket six. I have
copays and everything on that plan.

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Okay? So, what we're doing is we're that
that was a 43% rate increase on that

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plan.
The PPO plan got a 68% rate increase.

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All right? So, what we're looking here
is moving our plan design with Blue

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Cross Blue Shield to a higher deductible
plan.

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Okay? Which is the one next to it.
And what that does it give us some cost

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savings to where we can implement
another program in.

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00:13:26,480 --> 00:13:33,080
So, what this plan would do here, if we
go to the difference card as a option,

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00:13:31,680 --> 00:13:37,000
what would happen is the member would
pay Excuse me, you'd have a $30 copay,

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00:13:35,240 --> 00:13:42,600
just like you currently have, versus the
35. You'd have a $50 copay versus a 70

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00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:45,800
for specialist, okay? So, you have the
options of still having your office

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00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:49,720
copay. So, the majority of the employees
here and their families are going to be

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00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:53,320
covered at the copay level, all right?
But, then what happens after that, the

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00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:57,480
member, if they have a major surgery or
something, they're going to pay the

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00:13:54,160 --> 00:14:01,360
first 4,500 of the surgery.
And then the difference card pick up the

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back end of all the expenses.
Okay? So, again, what our employees are

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00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:08,240
looking at on their other plan they
currently have, they had a 6,000 out of

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00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:13,840
pocket.
On this one, uh we're going to

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they're going to pay the first 4,500.
And then their max would be another

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00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:20,160
2,200. So, we're we're not really
hurting their benefits currently in what

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00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:23,840
they're doing. We're trying to get their
benefits back to where they are at. Now,

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00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:26,480
the cost is it's the cost. I mean,
that's that's the hard pill to swallow

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00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:30,760
is
we can get creative on the plan designs,

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00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:34,080
but the as you can see, you're still the
cost is going up, and that's where we're

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working hard with Whitney and Renee and
Courtney is to trying to find a way

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00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:44,080
to possibly get it. But, for example, on
Blue Cross Blue Shield, when they give

231
00:14:40,680 --> 00:14:47,720
us our renewal, they'll give us
50 different plan designs,

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00:14:45,920 --> 00:14:51,240
okay? And we'll go through them and try
to figure out which one's the best and

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00:14:49,320 --> 00:14:55,520
what will work. And this is one of the
cheapest one. I hate these words cheap,

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00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:59,560
that is on that plan at 754.
And that's why we're using that to get

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as much as cost savings as we can, and
then possibly use the difference card to

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00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:06,640
build a plan design for the employees
and their families

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00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:09,440
that doesn't hurt as bad,
you know?

238
00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:13,000
And the bottom line, the difference
card, what it allows us to do, if we can

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00:15:10,920 --> 00:15:17,240
make it work, again, you take the cost
savings from the, you know, the 30 to

240
00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:20,160
40% it's in a bucket of money. So,
instead of giving that money to Blue

241
00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:22,905
Cross in premium,
we're going to put it to the side in

242
00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:23,880
account and we're going to
>> [cough]

243
00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:29,080
» take
for up dollar cost for our employees.

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00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:33,120
And we know it's guaranteed
by just moving the difference card

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00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:37,480
versus our renewal. If we do one plan
design, it's like 200,000 savings. So,

246
00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:41,400
there's a max out of pocket. We cannot
we will not spend more than we would if

247
00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:45,400
we did not have the difference card.
Okay? So, by using this this difference

248
00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:48,960
card to help kind of I don't want to use
the word self-insured cuz it's not

249
00:15:47,320 --> 00:15:53,840
there's cost savings for the city. So,
there's no risk as far as using the card

250
00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:57,520
versus our maximum liability.
Okay? But, the bottom line is the

251
00:15:55,480 --> 00:16:01,720
maximum liability has jumped very high.
So, we got to find a way to get creative

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00:15:59,840 --> 00:16:04,400
and keep keep benefits in.
Did I explain that or did I miss

253
00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:08,160
something, Renee, Courtney?
>> Kobe, the the one that you have here for

254
00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:13,040
the difference card that that where it
says base plan design, that's the that's

255
00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:16,040
the base plan with Blue Cross Blue
Shield that we would have and then we'd

256
00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:16,880
put the difference card on top. Is that
correct?

257
00:16:16,600 --> 00:16:18,600
» Correct.
>> Okay. Okay.

258
00:16:17,560 --> 00:16:22,160
» Correct.
>> Okay.

259
00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:25,120
Thank you.
>> So, we would offer two plan designs. We

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00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:27,760
would offer an
HMO, which has been very successful for

261
00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:29,520
us.
>> Yeah.

262
00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:32,440
» And we'd offer one PPO, which is going
to be more expensive. And we're going to

263
00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:36,360
get creative and try to find the
employees the best, you know, cost

264
00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:40,040
sharing we can to keep insurance in the
city. And that's where I'm going

265
00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:43,880
» So, depending on what they would select,
the the employees of the city would have

266
00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:47,360
an option to stick with the base plan
design just with the Blue Cross Blue

267
00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:51,000
Shield, and then they would also have an
an option to put the difference card on

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00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:53,760
top or do they have to do we have to
pick one of those?

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00:16:52,280 --> 00:16:57,160
» card automatically be on top.
>> It'll automatically. Okay. Okay. So,

270
00:16:55,640 --> 00:17:00,520
they'll end up paying a little bit more
for the difference card. However, it

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00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:03,360
gets them on the back end it's it's
better for them.

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00:17:01,040 --> 00:17:04,959
» It's going to give them up front co-pays
and stuff like that to help employees

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00:17:04,760 --> 00:17:06,680
out.
>> Yeah, I follow you.

274
00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:09,839
» So, they're they're they're tied
together if we do it.

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00:17:07,560 --> 00:17:12,400
» Yes. Okay.
>> But, that's why we're

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00:17:11,319 --> 00:17:16,360
you know, sorry we're calling a meeting
on Thursday after Labor Day is

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00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:18,760
if we decide to do this, it's going to
take we're going to have to go to the

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00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:19,680
employees to educate them on how this
works.

279
00:17:19,319 --> 00:17:22,920
» Yeah.
>> And then once they offer we decide what

280
00:17:21,480 --> 00:17:26,880
plan design they want with the Blue
Cross / Difference Card, we have to put

281
00:17:25,199 --> 00:17:29,960
that into the Blue Cross system, and
then the Difference Card got to build

282
00:17:28,439 --> 00:17:34,680
the plan design, and that takes another
10 to 12 days. So, we have two steps. We

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00:17:32,440 --> 00:17:37,520
have a renewal, picking your Blue Cross
plan,

284
00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:40,840
but then we have to send that to the
Difference Card to build the cards for

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00:17:39,680 --> 00:17:43,560
ready before October 1st for the
employees.

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00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:47,160
» Cuz cuz one thing about it also, you're
y'all are I know y'all are still working

287
00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:51,840
with the Difference Card and Blue Cross
and negotiating with them on trying to

288
00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:57,040
get that 766 a little bit further closer
to that 750 as best we can, right? Okay,

289
00:17:55,360 --> 00:17:57,960
so there's still more discussions going
on.

290
00:17:57,400 --> 00:17:59,720
» Yes, it is
>> Okay. Okay.

291
00:17:58,520 --> 00:18:01,440
» getting creative on the plan design.
>> Yeah.

292
00:17:59,840 --> 00:18:03,640
» So, we want to write what happens, you
know, Difference Card if we raise the

293
00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:05,840
copay
>> Right.

294
00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:07,400
» from 30 to 40, how much savings do we
get?

295
00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:09,280
» Yeah, and try to lower it. Okay.
>> So, that's

296
00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:12,000
» Playing with it.
>> but Renee knows the maximum though.

297
00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:13,600
» Okay.
>> liability we have on it.

298
00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:18,520
» Got it.
>> Courtney, is the city comfortable with

299
00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:22,000
the 766?
>> Yeah, I

300
00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:24,160
we can make it work with the
the budget if that's where you're if

301
00:18:23,640 --> 00:18:26,680
that's what
>> I'm asking.

302
00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:29,560
» No, but yes?
>> No, [laughter] but yes.

303
00:18:28,120 --> 00:18:33,080
» It's not in the proposed budget right
now.

304
00:18:31,040 --> 00:18:35,960
That's your finance director's probably
panicking.

305
00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:41,480
As I tried to
explain the earlier this morning,

306
00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:45,240
you've your your sales tax is set I
would say pretty low in the proposed

307
00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:49,280
budget uh
which gives you a little bit of room to

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00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:52,960
be able to make that that number work.
Um

309
00:18:49,920 --> 00:18:58,080
it will it will be difficult if sales
tax decreases. Uh you you'll we will

310
00:18:56,480 --> 00:19:02,320
have to have a conversation sometime in
the middle of the year as to what we

311
00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:06,680
will do if that happens, but um if you
hold sales tax as what it is currently

312
00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:10,120
this year, then you can absolutely
support the 766.

313
00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:17,360
Just can't predict what sales tax is
going to do, unfortunately.

314
00:19:15,640 --> 00:19:20,640
» We don't We don't have a whole lot of
choices here

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00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:24,520
with the fact that too, we want to take
care of the city employees and and and

316
00:19:23,120 --> 00:19:27,720
people that take care of our community.
So, it's a

317
00:19:26,160 --> 00:19:32,280
It's a double-edged sword here.
>> I can say this that y'all done some

318
00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:36,560
you know, some
really hard work here,

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00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:40,000
you know, trying to figure out exactly,
you know, what the best choice is for

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00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:42,880
the city. And uh
you know, y'all y'all bringing this to

321
00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:48,560
the table for us
as a committee, we did discuss, you

322
00:19:45,280 --> 00:19:51,800
know, all this and everything. And um
we, you know,

323
00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:54,840
we really don't have much choice. We We
need to

324
00:19:52,760 --> 00:20:00,160
I think we need to move forward
with this. And get the ball rolling now.

325
00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:04,240
We can figure out exactly what we we
need to do. So, uh

326
00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:07,840
you know, we're we're in a
we're in a situation right now that

327
00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:12,000
we're trying to do the best thing for
for the employees of the city. And

328
00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:16,000
I think uh
you know, that's why we called a special

329
00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:19,360
call meeting and uh
I think

330
00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:23,600
as as a council, I think uh
we need to move forward. And get this

331
00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:26,680
going.
>> I'd like to say this is the beauty of

332
00:20:25,160 --> 00:20:30,920
having an agent that cares about the
city as well as the employees. He worked

333
00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:33,520
his tail off.
Lauren.

334
00:20:31,560 --> 00:20:36,360
» He He done a lot of work. So.
>> Thank you. And I

335
00:20:34,600 --> 00:20:38,680
want to say one more thing cuz I'm I'm
looking at the employees and their

336
00:20:37,480 --> 00:20:41,680
friends and I'm worried about their
families.

337
00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:46,120
paying the premiums, but we can also
look at individual plans for the

338
00:20:43,440 --> 00:20:49,920
employees. Which means that, you know, I
know we helped with the employees, but

339
00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:52,840
when we're looking at a premium of 3,800
for family, that's hard to stare at. You

340
00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:56,760
know, that's just
That's not fair. But what happens if we

341
00:20:55,240 --> 00:21:00,040
do have families, when I say families,
employees,

342
00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:04,440
spouse, employee, children, this is a
full family. Uh there is a individual

343
00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:08,360
plan that might be a better deal for the
family. So, So, can This is going to

344
00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:11,680
give us time to do is sit with these
dependents or families and go, "Hey, if

345
00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:14,600
you're going to be on this plan, you're
probably looking at X amount coming out

346
00:21:13,360 --> 00:21:18,320
of your check,
but if we move you to an individual plan

347
00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:22,160
that's not under the city's plan, you
know, maybe it's better for you to stay

348
00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:25,320
on the plan as the employee cuz the city
pays the premium, but maybe it's a

349
00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:29,800
better deal for your dependent to get on
individual plan because it's less

350
00:21:27,240 --> 00:21:32,600
expensive." Individual plans, it doesn't
matter regardless of your health, it's

351
00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:36,560
the same
quote for that for that age group, okay?

352
00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:41,440
So, if you're this age, it's this, it's
this, it's this. So, for some of our

353
00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:44,800
city employees' families, you know, we
don't want you off of the plan, but it

354
00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:49,360
might be a heck of a better deal instead
of staring at a, you know, $1,000 for

355
00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:52,200
employee only, you know, rate to get the
dependents on something like that. So,

356
00:21:50,560 --> 00:21:56,320
that's going to give us time to shop,
sit individually with the employees and

357
00:21:54,480 --> 00:21:58,800
say, "Look, you know, you have two kids,
maybe it's better to be on the plan. You

358
00:21:57,560 --> 00:22:03,440
have one kid, while we're going to pay
$200 a month, we can do it for $300 on

359
00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:06,320
an individual plan." So, uh
I appreciate the kind words, but that

360
00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:09,280
that's where I really want to get it
into we can try hard to get what's right

361
00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:12,320
for the employees instead of just
bringing this to you at the end of

362
00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:14,840
September and go, "Hey, I have no other
option." And then we're stuck with it,

363
00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:17,160
so
uh we're going to work with them

364
00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:21,080
one-on-one to try to help them.
>> How do the employees understand this and

365
00:22:19,560 --> 00:22:23,520
uh make decisions like this? Who
counsels with them or

366
00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:27,920
» It's a good question. Well,
>> Is it self-education or how's it work?

367
00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:31,240
» Yeah, good question. Uh
the way it's always worked, which has

368
00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:34,720
been beautiful, I'm sure everybody on
campus thinks I'm getting arrested every

369
00:22:32,840 --> 00:22:37,680
day cuz we have cop cars at our office
all the time. They will come in and sit

370
00:22:36,360 --> 00:22:38,600
with us one-on-one if they really want
>> Okay.

371
00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:40,240
» Their families
>> They come to you rather than somebody

372
00:22:40,120 --> 00:22:42,920
else.
>> Yeah, we'll have normal office We'll

373
00:22:41,560 --> 00:22:46,480
have We're having normal meetings where
we come out here. The difference part

374
00:22:44,640 --> 00:22:49,440
has offered to fly lady in for a couple
of days to go over all, you know, how

375
00:22:48,120 --> 00:22:52,440
this part would work and stuff like
that.

376
00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:55,480
But the beauty of this gets approved,
which is not the best beautiful plan in

377
00:22:54,280 --> 00:22:59,640
the world, just going to be honest with
you, is it's going to give us a almost a

378
00:22:57,880 --> 00:23:03,760
whole month to work with each employee
one-on-one, and we will, and they will

379
00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:07,480
come by. Sometimes it'll be the it'll be
the employee, sometimes it'll be the the

380
00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:09,920
wife usually that comes by.
And we'll sit one-on-one with them and

381
00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:12,880
go, "Hey, here's what it would be if
you're on the health plan. Here's what

382
00:23:11,120 --> 00:23:16,560
it would be if you go to individual
plan. Here's the way it works." So,

383
00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:19,240
we'll do that. We can also do Zoom
calls.

384
00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:23,360
Uh whatever we need to do for the city
employees to to make it work.

385
00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:27,000
» And what do we do for retirees, somebody
that retires from police department at

386
00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:28,760
55 years old or something? Do we still
cover them or what do they do

387
00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:30,160
differently?
>> We don't. Okay.

388
00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:33,200
» not.
>> So, what do they do for insurance? Just

389
00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:39,760
go find some individual plan?
>> They usually get on Medicare.

390
00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:42,640
Or they find an individual plan. Yeah.
We don't even offer it.

391
00:23:41,560 --> 00:23:46,920
» I didn't know.
>> Usually when an an employee retires at

392
00:23:44,520 --> 00:23:49,680
age 65, they can get on Medicare Part A
and then we talked to Mr. Hodges about

393
00:23:48,320 --> 00:23:54,040
» No, but at 55, say.
>> Well, 55, they have to go pay for their

394
00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:55,160
own insurance on individual plan.
>> Just didn't know.

395
00:23:54,720 --> 00:23:58,600
» Yes, sir.
>> Beauty of John and I being on Medicare

396
00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:02,840
is our deductible is 250.
>> Yeah. And this is something you know, we

397
00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:05,800
want every employee, regardless of their
age, to feel comfortable that they are

398
00:24:03,840 --> 00:24:08,680
always welcome on our health plan.
But when you turn 65, as you know, some

399
00:24:07,520 --> 00:24:11,320
of you might know,
uh you get on Medicare Part A, which is

400
00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:14,880
your hospital insurance. You get on
Medicare Part B, which is your

401
00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:18,480
outpatient, you know, and then copay to
go to the doctor insurance.

402
00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:20,040
And that the beauty of that it's really
not that expensive.

403
00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:23,520
» Right.
>> And then you can get a Medicare

404
00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:26,480
supplement for about 150 bucks a month.
And then you get a Medicare Part D for

405
00:24:24,760 --> 00:24:29,800
your prescription. So, basically, the
average person on Medicare, your

406
00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:32,240
insurance is costing you about 250 a
month.

407
00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:37,720
And that's all in. Like Mr. Hodges said,
that's almost like no deductible, no

408
00:24:34,480 --> 00:24:41,760
nothing. So, Medicare is a great deal
for people over 65. Okay? But what we

409
00:24:40,360 --> 00:24:44,160
got to make sure we know is any
employee, regardless of their age, is

410
00:24:42,840 --> 00:24:47,160
always welcome on our health plan. I
mean, we we don't we don't want to make

411
00:24:45,360 --> 00:24:49,360
anybody feel like it's not a good deal
for them.

412
00:24:48,120 --> 00:24:53,200
And the one reason is because the city
pays majority of the premiums. But at

413
00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:56,920
the same time, if you look at your
premium versus the deductible you're

414
00:24:54,720 --> 00:24:59,920
going to be paying for this, you know,
you have to weigh your options. So,

415
00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:03,840
again, that's why it's kind of important
we get something done where we can sit

416
00:25:01,520 --> 00:25:05,720
with every individual and kind of come
up with a plan for them. And some of

417
00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:07,840
them might be able to jump on their
spouse's plan.

418
00:25:07,160 --> 00:25:10,600
Or [clears throat] at least move their
kids to their spouse's plan.

419
00:25:09,680 --> 00:25:13,560
You know, they've been on the city's
plan cuz it's been a really good

420
00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:16,200
premium, and now it's going up. Well,
let me go look at, you know, my wife's

421
00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:20,040
plan and see if it's better with the
school district or something to move

422
00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:23,480
little Johnny and Sue to that plan. So,
this will give them time to make an

423
00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:25,720
educated decision on their health care.
>> It's great that you're helping them.

424
00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:32,120
» Thank you, sir.
>> Mayor, I move that we move forward with

425
00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:36,680
the approval of resolutions R-2026-49
as presented supporting the

426
00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:39,360
options to continue to negotiate on the
difference score.

427
00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:47,320
» Second.
>> We got a motion a second on the floor to

428
00:25:44,120 --> 00:25:51,920
approve resolution R-2026-49
as presented and to

429
00:25:52,640 --> 00:25:58,240
also go with the difference score.
So,

430
00:25:56,080 --> 00:26:03,440
any discussion?
All in favor?

431
00:26:00,480 --> 00:26:03,440
Motion passes.

432
00:26:03,960 --> 00:26:09,480
All right. At this time, this meeting is
adjourned. I want to thank everybody for

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00:26:08,280 --> 00:26:13,720
coming in.
Thank you all very much. Have a great

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00:26:11,320 --> 00:26:13,720
week.