Village seeking more options for health insurance coverage

The Village of Belgium Finance and Personnel Committee is seeking another option for health insurance after hearing the projected rate increases of its current provider.

The village contracts with Anthem. An early estimate, Clerk Julie Lesar said, calls for rates to increase between 20% and 25%.

“That much?” committee chairman Josh Borden asked.

The village pays $5,300 per month for health insurance premiums for four employees. Three other employees don’t use the village’s insurance plan.

Village Treasurer Vickie Boehnlein said she got rates from the Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF).

The rates, she said, are “significantly higher” unless the deductible reimbursement is taken into account. That, she said, is difficult to gauge. Sometimes, it comes to a large amount of money and sometimes it is none.

The ETF plan, depending on which of its four packages are offered to employees, would cost the village from $5,229 to $6,437 per month.

Figuring Anthem’s projected increase, Boehnlein said, the ETF plan would be more affordable.

The committee agreed to seek a quote from another provider.

Lesar said she knows of a Belgium Area Chamber of Commerce member who offers a “gamut” of insurance coverage, including property, liability and health.

“We’ll pursue that as a potential offer,” Boehnlein said.

The next Finance and Personnel Committee meeting has not been scheduled.