By WKMS Staff
Murray, KY – The city of Murray's Health Insurance Committee presented a new plan to city employees last night that will curb much of an anticipated 20% increase in premiums. The plan involves staying with current provider Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield. The total plan proposal cost is down from $2.3 million to around $2.1 million. The city's Insurance Committee Chairman Robert Billington Jr. says the new cost isn't a price renegotiation, but a different plan all together. He says,
"A lot of people wanted to look at there and say Well, they came back and they lowered it because people were unhappy,' or whatever. That wasn't the case. It was a situation where we put ourselves out there and said, You know look, we need to do something.' Because we couldn't charge our employees more than what we're charging them now."
Billington says the new plan works on a tiered system, factoring in employees overall wellness. Subscribers also have the more choices to regulate their costs. Billington says, after two public meetings, there will be no more meetings scheduled on this issue until the City Council votes on November 22nd. Billington suspects the council will adopt the new plan.