MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Mount Pleasant Public Schools will join other schools in the area to explore forming a health insurance pool, according to the Mount Pleasant Morning Sun. The Morning Sun reported that Mount Pleasant signed a letter of intent to join other districts in the Clare-Gladwin and Gratiot-Isabella regional service districts in a group effort to gauge the cost of buying pooled health insurance.
The letter does not require Mount Pleasant to join the pool, the Morning Sun reported, but allows it to participate in the process of gathering and evaluating bids. Currently, Mount Pleasant purchases health insurance through the Michigan Education Special Services Association, an affiliate of the Michigan Education Association, according to the Morning Sun.
In the past, MESSA has been reluctant to release claims histories to individual school districts, the Morning Sun reported, but a new state law requires it to release information to any group representing 100 or more employees, such as the proposed pool. That data is said to be useful in seeking bids from alternative insurers, according to the Morning Sun.
SOURCE:
The Mount Pleasant Morning Sun, "Labor contract approved by Mt. Pleasant school board," Dec. 16, 2008
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "Health insurance: Reformed, but not resolved," Sept. 16, 2008
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