County Board Decides on Health Coverage, Releases Closed Session Minutes

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Published on October 5 2017 4:35 pm
Last Updated on October 5 2017 5:06 pm
Written by Greg Sapp

Effingham County Board members Thursday obtained health insurance coverage for the coming year for County employees through Blue Cross Blue Shield. The coverage is being handled locally by Weis Insurance Agency of Effingham.

PPO single coverage will cost $600.42/month while HSA coverage will cost $540/month. PPO family coverage will cost $1,697/month while HSA coverage will cost $1,529/month for the next 12 months.

The premiums are 18% lower than the past year for traditional coverage, and 17% lower for HSA coverage.

The Board also agreed to make public all closed session minutes of the Board's Ambulance Oversight Committee from July 1, 2014 to April 25, 2017. The minutes that had been closed concerned litigation involving the County and Altamont Ambulance Service.

Members were reminded of an Open Meetings Act training session set for 1pm October 16. All County elected and appointed officials are being invited to attend the training that is being provided by the Illinois Attorney General's Office. 

Effingham County State's Attorney Bryan Kibler has worked to schedule the training at the Emergency Management Agency building on Miracle Avenue. Kibler said in a letter to County officials that there have been complaints lodged against the County allegations OMA violations. Upon his initial review, Kibler feels a few of the complaints "have merit". He went on to write that "while the evidence suggests these OMA violations were unintentional and simply honest mistakes, the public deserves better."

In the letter, Kibler shared, "As public officials of Effingham County, we are obligated to improve ourselves as public servants."