WOODHAVEN, Mich. - The Woodhaven-Brownstown Board of Education has capped the amount the district will pay for teacher health insurance premiums at $13,000 annually, according to The (Southgate) News-Herald.
Any charge above that amount will be paid by individual teachers, according to The News-Herald. Previously, the district paid $15,235 annually per teacher for health care plans administered by the Michigan Education Special Services Association, an affiliate of the Michigan Education Association.
If the district continues to purchase Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance through MESSA, teachers will pay about $186 monthly as of Feb. 1, The News-Herald reported. If the teachers switch to an Aetna plan, they will pay nothing, because the cost of that plan is within the cap. Two other employee groups are covered under Aetna plans, the report said.
The contract between the district and the Woodhaven-Brownstown Education Association's 310 members expired in 2007, and Superintendent Barbara Lott said the negotiations have reached impasse, according to The News-Herald.
The district anticipates taking in $2 million less in revenue this year and $4 million less next year due to declining enrollment and reduced per-pupil state funding, The News-Herald reported.
SOURCE:
The (Southgate) News-Herald, "Woodhaven: School district caps insurance coverage for teachers," Jan. 19, 2010
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "Splitting the health insurance bill," Aug. 19, 2009
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