Greenfield considers accepting health insurance for one month, seeking other options

 During a Greenfield City Council meeting held this week, it was reported that the city was facing a potential increase in its premiums of 44 percent. 

On Thursday, the finance committee met and discussed the city's options. After discussing the matter for more than an hour, poring over numbers and scenarios, it was decided to recommend the city accept the insurance committee's recommendation for at least the month of December. 

The insurance committee, which is comprised of city employees, had recommended a plan for a health savings account, with the city contributing $1,000 for a single plan and $2,000 for a family plan, which is down from the previous costs of $1,250 for single and $2,500 for a family. Per union contracts, the police department is exempt from the decrease and will stay the same.

By going with this option, the increase to the city is 28 percent, as opposed to 44 percent, and is only for the month of December. 

Committee member Bob Bergstrom said, "One month (at this cost) won't kill us."
"No matter how we work over these numbers, it's still a horrendous increase," said committee member William Redenbaugh.

The committee had worked over spreadsheets with numbers and options, and Redenbaugh eventually said that it seemed like "a math exercise" that was going to end up costing the city more money. Bergstrom said that it had become apparent that more information and options were needed. 

City Manager Betty Bishop and finance director Karen Daniels have appointments to meet with other brokers to hear if other options are available, including a plan through a consortium with the state of Ohio, known as the Ohio Plan. 

Redenbaugh and committee member Harvey Everhart questioned whether or not the insurance would have to be bid out again. Bergstrom said that he didn't think the city bid out for insurance. Daniels and an insurance committee member said that years ago the city had bid out the insurance, and in subsequent years had called everyone on the list of interested brokers. 

After discussing whether or not the city was required to bid it out, as previously the cost was under the $25,000 requirement, Redenbaugh and Everhart said they wanted law director Brian Zets to be consulted. 

"You didn't follow protocol," Redenbaugh said. "You followed it, but not to the letter, and the letter comes back to eat you."

Council has scheduled a special meeting for Nov. 29 to discuss the insurance and other pending financial matters of the city. 

"What we're doing is buying some time to look some more. To look better," Redenbaugh said.