HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-11-03-HBRC-min HEALTH BENEFITS REVIEW COMMITTEE MINUTES -- November 3,2004
Present: Members. Robert Beckwitt, Richard Dougherty, Thomas Goodwin,Maggie
Olivia, Linda Roemer, Deborah Strod
Staff Support: Susan Bottan(School)
Liaisons. Richard Eurich(Appropriation Committee), Thomas Gnffiths
(School Committee), Paul Hamburger(Appropriation
Committee), William Kennedy (Selectmen), Evelyn Silber
(Personnel Advisory Board)
1 Meeting called to order by Paul Hamburger Richard Eurich appointed/agreed
minute taker for this meeting. Unanimous agreement that minutes will be rotating
responsibility among committee membership and that minutes should be prepared
and circulated before the next meeting,optimally within a week after minuted
meeting.
2. Paul Hamburger briefly discussed the Open Meeting Law,which requires that
decisions and deliberations of appointed and elected bodies take place in public
meetings for which at least 48-hour notice has been posted. The law applies not
only to actual meetings of a committee's membership but seemingly to telephone
and e-mail communications as well, especially if those communications are
designed or expected to, or result in, decisions or substantive deliberations. IT IS
PERMISSIBLE TO CIRCULATE MEMOS,DRAFT REPORTS,
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS FOR REVIEW,AND IDEAS, SO LONG AS
ENSUING DISCUSSION ONLY TAKES PLACE AT A POSTED MEETING
3 Paul Hamburger opened the meeting to nomination and election of a committee
chairperson. After discussion of the position, its responsibilities, and possible
nominations,it was unanimously agreed to elect co-chairs. After being
nominated, and agreeing to serve,Deborah Strod and Richard Dougherty were
unanimously elected co-chairs of the committee.
4 Paul Hamburger presented and bnefly discussed the committee's charter
Thoroughly review and analyze current components of health insurance
being mindful of employee privacy rights. Compare Lexington's benefits
with other communities and pnvate sector operations. Suggest possible
changes to operation which could reduce the cost and/or rate of increases
to the Town and subscribers. Consider all options including benefit plan
designing,pooling with other Towns and/or local businesses, self-
insurance, etc. Report back to a joint meeting of the BOS, School
Committee and Appropriation Committee findings and recommendations
for additional work to be done in three months.
5 There was a general discussion of the charter,the committee's functioning under
it, and its objectives and goals.
a. Rose Ducharme and Susan Bottan,the committee's staff support,will assist in
obtaining information the committee requires, from Town and School officials
and employees and also from GBS,the Town's Health Insurance consultant.
b In its initial report,the Committee will present possible options or
recommendations. These can be short- and long-term.
c The committee's purview includes review of the costs and forms of its current
plan, comparison of that plan with plans or arrangements in varied pnvate,
public,profit,non-profit,regional and other settings, and consideration of the
participation,numbers, characteristics,health and contributions of subscribers.
6 The current Lexington plan includes virtually everybody who works in the
municipal and school departments. It also includes retirees, and part-time workers
who qualify to opt-in by working at least 20 hours per week. The dental plans are
insured under policies issued by Delta. The Town's health plans are primarily
self-insured,the Town's Trust Fund paying up to $75,000 per year per individual
claimant and reinsuring itself for payments in excess of that amount.
7 There was a general discussion of information the committee needs to begin its
review Richard Dougherty -- God bless him -- agreed to make a
comprehensive list of the needed information which non-exhaustively includes
claims by diagnostic categories,the actual number of people, as opposed to
subscribers, involved in each plan offered by the Town,the differences in benefits,
claims (number and type), costs and participants (numbers,health and age) in each
of the plans, general"age-groupings"of school and municipal plan participants,
in anticipation of retirements, summaries or,preferably, actual terms and
provisions of each plan,the Coalition Bargaining Paper referenced in collective
bargaining contracts, and numbers and amounts of drug and medicinal prescription
claims.
8 Future meetings will be held on the first and third Wednesdays of the month,
commencing at 8.30 a.m. THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE ON WEDNESDAY
(ODDLY ENOUGH),NOVEMBER 17 Following meetings are currently
scheduled for December 1 and 15, 2003 and January 5 and 19, 2004
9 MOVED, SECONDED,AND VOTED (UNANIMOUSLY) TO ADJOURN
Respectfully submitted,
Richard Eunch,MTPT (Minute Taker Pro Tern)