McHenry County government has been hit with an 18.8 percent increase in employee health insurance costs, and nearly 200 McHenry County Sheriff’s Department employees will see their health insurance premiums climb 10 percent as a result.
The County Board on Tuesday voted 21-0 to approve a 10 percent increase in premiums for the county’s union employees, who work in one of three bargaining units in the Sheriff’s Department. More than 500 non-union employees, who have been paying higher insurance premiums than the union employees, would see no increase in premiums after the new insurance premiums take effect July 1.
The county’s Human Resources Committee on Monday considered several options to deal with the double-digit increase in costs from the Local Government Health Plan that the county joined in December 1999. The committee recommended raising union employees’ premiums 10 percent, as allowed by the collective bargaining agreement.
Even with the increase, union employees would be paying less for health insurance than non-union employees.
The county picks up about two-thirds of employee health insurance costs. With the 10 percent premium increase for union employees, the county will need to spend about $500,000 more on insurance, said County Administrator Alfred Johnson.
The county expects employee insurance costs of about $4.1 million next year. It budgeted about $3.5 million this year.
“I don’t think anybody has a crystal ball to say where this is going,” said Dick Hoover, chairman of the county’s Insurance Task Force, regarding climbing health insurance costs.
He said the county’s 18.8 percent increase was about average for members of the Local plan. Non-union employees who take single coverage would pay $38 a month. A union employee would pay $35.
A non-union employee who adds two or more dependents to the policy would pay $203 a month. A union employee with similar coverage would pay $177.
Costs are lower, with similar disparities in premiums, for employees who take the managed-care option instead of major medical insurance.
