News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Starting July 2021, county employees that retire could be eligible for the same amount of health insurance as active employees.
County Executive Ben Danner said the added coverage applies to all employees but is mainly focused towards helping emergency workers reach retirement early.
“A lot of the employees are having to stay just because of insurance and could retire cause they got the number of years in,” Danner said. “So I feel like when you have somebody at the sheriff’s department or the ambulance service or wherever, and they have worked for the county long enough, if they like to retire then we would like to pay their insurance.”
In order to qualify, the retiree must be 55 years old, worked for the county for 10 years and have county health insurance for the past three years. Danner said coverage lasts until the person qualifies for Medicare.
“Right now, when an employee retires, they can pay the insurance, but we do not pay any of it,” Danner said. “A lot of times, they would have to pay more for their insurance then they would draw a month in retirement. This it would help them out up until age 62 or whatever year they are able to take Medicare.”
Danner said the added insurance coverage will be evaluated yearly. Highway employees also qualify for the retiree coverage. Any person who retired before July 1st, 2021 does not qualify.
