School Board Approves Insurance Plan

Yorkville Community Unit School District 115 employees will have more health insurance options than ever before after the school board voted Monday to approve contributions toward a new District Employee Insurance Benefit plan.

Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Frank Bogner outlined the insurance plan for the board, saying the new plan would bring the district in line with what other organizations have been offering for years.

“I think everybody is happy,” Bogner said. “It’s a big change for us.”

The triple-option benefit plan offers employees HMO, PPO and high-deductible HSA choices, a change from the PPO-only plan the district had previously employed. The board’s Monday vote also approved monetary incentive programs for eligible employees who choose the high-deductible HSA plan or decline the district plan altogether.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois will remain the district’s health insurance and dental provider, although the board a move that would change the dental plan from one that is fully insured to a self-funded model.

Bogner said the district and the teacher's union, Yorkville Education Association, agreed on the plan about 10 days ago, and savings from the change will be divided among employees after the open enrollment period. This will be 10-month insurance agreement with a renewal date of July 1, 2012.

At least two board members indicated that this is the first time in more than two decades that the district has made aggressive changes to its benefits package.

“I think this is huge,” board member Robert Brenart said.

For more board news, see this article about recent district hires and this article about the district's financial rank.