USW Local 2-232
formerly PACE 7-232
Season's Greetings
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Membership Meeting
Members are urged to Attend this Meeting.
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USW Local 2-232 formerly PACE 7-232
Season's Greetings * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Members are urged to Attend this Meeting.
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Large increases in insurance premiums mean huge increases in cost for members at Briggsby Joe ChambersMember portion of premium cost increases up to 97%At Briggs, the Company has told the Union about insurance premium rates for the year 2001. These rates are substantially higher than the current rates. Even worse, because Briggs has insisted on and kept contract language over the last decade that shields the Company from most exposure to higher rates, the members bear the brunt of these increases. This is resulting in huge increases for the employees in monthly insurance premium payments. Briggs’ contribution increases only 5% each year and the employees pay the remaining cost. This combined with large increases in the total premium cost results in increases of up to 97% for insurance premium deductions from members' paychecks. Insurance unaffordable for Briggs employeesThe cost of insurance is now even more unaffordable for our members. Insurance is something people cannot afford to be without, but at these prices our members cannot afford to purchase insurance. Last year it was recognized that members could not handle the large deductions all in one week. So it was changed to two deductions per month. Now members face deductions as large as the ones that could not be managed last year, but must have these deductions twice each month. Many members will be forced to choose plans with lower benefit levels that expose the members and their families to large bills when they use their insurance. We also fear that these premiums may force members to do without insurance because they cannot afford even least expensive options offered from wages that have not kept pace with the cost of living Information to be sent in October
Members will be receiving information on the rates, options and enrollment procedures in early October. Enrollment will take place in November. The Company plans to again use the telephone enrollment process combining insurance enrollment with enrollment in the Flexible Spending Account for the next calendar year. Effects vary by plan
Rates increased at varying rates, depending on the plan and level of coverage in Compcare. The premium for the Aurora Premier Plan increased by about 32% resulting in an increase of 97% in the monthly premium cost for employees. Members in both the FM Premier Plan (Falls Medical and Milwaukee Medical) and the CSMA Premier Plan (Columbia/St. Mary's and Medical Associates) will be consolidated into one plan, the Compcare Blue Broad Network Plan. The premium for 2001 in the Compcare Blue Broad Network Plan is 37% higher than the 2000 rates for the FM Premier Plan. The employee's portion of the insurance premium increases 95% since Briggs only increases their payment by 5%. The premium for 2001 in the Compcare Blue Broad Network Plan is 26% higher than the 2000 rates for the CSMA Premier Plan. The employee's portion of the insurance premium increases 56% since Briggs only increases their payment by 5%. New option is less expensive
Members who want to keep the same benefit level at a lower cost will have a new option providing the Premier Plan level of benefits at a price lower than the 2001 rates for plans currently offered. There will be a Family Health Plan Premier option that will use the providers from Family Health Plan Clinics. This option will have a premium that results in a cost to employees about 23% higher than the current rates for the Aurora Premier Plan, which had been the low cost option for a full benefit package. This is still a substantial increase over the current cost and it will require members to select and use providers from the Family Health Plan clinics. It will be a much lower premium than any other premier option plans. Special Edition Plans have lower
increases
The increases for members in the Special Edition Plans in 2001 were much lower than for the Premier plans. The current Special Edition Plan and the current MACS Special Edition (Medical Associates and Columbia/St. Mary's) providers will be combined into one Special Edition Plan. The current Special Edition plan will have total premium increases of about 9% with an increased cost to the employee of about 21%. Members in the current MACS Special Edition Plan will see only a .5% increase in total premium, resulting in the employee's actually seeing their monthly premium payment 10% lower than the current premium. Lower cost option at Family Health
Plan Clinics
In addition there will be a new lower cost option for the Special Edition level of benefits from the Family Health Plan providers. This option will have the same total premium as the current Special Edition Plan. This will mean that the employee's cost for that plan will be lower than any current options. New plan offered to lower premiumsIn order to provide other options at a lower premium cost, Briggs will also offer a new plan through Compcare Blue. This option will be a Point of Service Plan, not an HMO. Because it is not an HMO, Briggs will pay the amount toward the premium that they pay for the Comprehensive Plan. This increases the employer contribution about 12%. This plan will have higher out of pocket cost for members using this plan. The Point of Service Plan will pay 90% of cost provided within the Compcare Network, and 70% for services provided outside of the Compcare Network. These payments are after an in-network deductible of $250 per person and $750 per family and required co-payments. This plan will provide prescription drug coverage after co-pays of $15 for generic drugs, $25 for name brand drugs and $50 for "high cost" drugs. Details of the plan will be sent to members in early October. Co-insurance cost for members is capped at $1500 per individual and $3,000 per family for in-network services and $3500 per individual and $6500 per family for out of network services. A more complete explanation of this plan will be sent with enrollment information in early October. Comprehensive Plan up alsoDue to prohibitive cost, there are very few members still in the Comprehensive Plan. This year continued to make matters worse for that plan. Members in the Comprehensive Plan also saw large increases. Total premium rates increased 13.5% resulting in a 19% increase in premiums for members. Members portion of insurance premiums for 2000 and 2001 can be found here. |
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