Committee approves health premium rates

• Pierce County

Pierce County

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The Pierce County Finance and Personnel Committee approved the 2012 health insurance rates for county employees Monday.

Among the notable changes is an eight percent decrease in premium rates. The change came, explained Wanda Kinneman, insurance coordinator, due to changes for the upcoming year, which included all employees being on the same plan from Anthem. In addition, Anthem is projecting a decrease in claims for 2012.

Under the current plan, single employees contribute $81.20 and families $205.80 monthly. In the new plan, those figures drop to $74.60 and $189.10, respectively. Kinneman estimated a single person would be saving around $80 a year and a family around $200. However, she said, it would likely be taken up by the changes under the services: employees will now have to pay $15 for all office visits and there is now a $200/$400 deductible.

The last notable change, effective Jan. 1, is the county no longer subsidizes its retiring premium rates, which were 25 percent.

For more please read the July 27 print version of the Herald.

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