HUMAN RESOURCES - S. COFFEE

Receive report in regards to Employee Insurance Renewal for 2019; and authorize the County Administrative Officer to meet and confer as required by law over health and benefit plan changes and to execute any required contracts or amendments with the County’s broker, the EIA, or employee organizations.

SBC FILE NUMBER: 630

The County has been part of the CSAC Excess Insurance Authority (EIA) health program since January 1, 2017.  The County is in the process of renewing the insurance program for 2019.  The County has a Joint Insurance Committee (Committee).  The Committee is charged with making recommendation to the employee organizations and the County regarding possible change in insurance coverage.  The County Administrative Office is working with the Committee and employee organizations to develop cost control strategies and plan design changes to reduce the rate increases for 2019.  Those discussions are in process and have not concluded.  The EIA needs to receive any health plan changes no later than September 1, 2018.

Because the meeting on August 21, 2018, is the last regularly scheduled meeting before the changes are due to the EIA and because health plan discussions are still underway with the Committee and with employee organizations, the County Administrative Officer needs to receive delegation from the Board to execute any necessary agreements with the employee associations or the EIA.  This Board item grants this necessary authority to the County Administrative Officer Ray Espinoza.

Other Agency Involvement

Some changes in health and benefit plans may trigger an obligation on the part of the County to meet and confer over the change with employee organizations affected by the proposed change.  This Board item grants the County Administrative Officer the authority to meet and confer, as may be required, over health plan changes.

Recommendation

1.       Receive this staff report

2.     Authorize the County Administrative Officer or his designee to meet and confer as required by law over health and benefit plan changes and to execute any required contracts or amendments with the County’s broker, the EIA, or employee organizations.