News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Van Buren County Commissioners will sign with a new insurance broker after discovering the current broker failed to keep the county ACA compliant.
County Financial Director Heather Woodlee told Commissioners Tuesday night the swap to a different broker would cost the county more money a month but could lower the monthly premium rates for employees from $270 per pay period to $128 per month on the cheapest insurance package. Woodlee said the current broker had listed the county as a small business of under 50 full-time employees even though the county has around 90 full-time employees.
“That is one thing McGriff couldn’t figure out was why they done what they done,” Woodlee said. “Because every broker gets paid the same dollar amount from the insurance company. They get up to $30, no more than $30 commission for each employee that signs up.”
Woodlee said only nine employees currently have insurance because the current premiums are too expensive for most employees. Woodlee said the new broker will offer similar insurance packages. Woodlee said that the more employees that sign up for insurance the cheaper the rate is for the employees.
Woodlee said that even though the current broker did not do their job the fault could be put on the county.
“From what I’ve read on the IRS website it still falls back on the employer to make sure that you are ACA compliant,” Woodlee said.
Commissioner Cale Crain and Commissioner Micahel Woodlee said the county should explore options to see if the employees could get financial compensation from the current broker.
“I think what Mr. Woodlee is trying to get at,” Crain said. “Is there a way that we can seek that the employees get paid back for their loss because it’s not the employee’s fault? Technically it’s not even our fault because we hired a broker to make sure we are doing what we are supposed to be doing and they didn’t do their part.”
“The employees got shafted,” Michael Woodlee said. “I just want to see something go back to them.”
Commissioners will consider the pursuit of trying to get financial compensation for county employees.
In other business, Commissioners approved moving $26,240 to the Sheriff’s Department for a vehicle, tires, and software updates.
Commissioners also approved moving some $29,000 in ARP funds to explore purchasing a litter grant truck. Heather Woodlee said after some research the cheapest truck available is around $35,000. The commissioners approved to continue exploring to see if they can find a more affordable truck. Crain said the county has received some used trucks in years past and the county needs a more reliable truck.
