MASSENA — Fewer visits to the physician and fewer elective surgical procedures have stored the St. Lawrence-Lewis Well being Insurance coverage Consortium in good monetary form for the 13 taking part faculty districts and BOCES.
“Our numbers are wanting fairly good,” Massena Central College Superintendent Patrick Brady informed his board of schooling following the consortium’s quarterly assembly.
Mr. Brady is the district’s consultant on the plan’s board.
“So far as our (medical insurance) plan is anxious, now we have not had numerous instances the place our workers have needed to be hospitalized for COVID, they usually’re not getting the elective surgical procedures they usually’re not going to the physician. So the plan final 12 months with the pandemic has been saving some cash on insurance coverage,” he mentioned.
Whereas that’s good now, it might not be so good sooner or later, he mentioned.
“There’s a concern as soon as issues get again to regular. On the monetary aspect, now we have to be ready for it. We wish folks to go get their checkups. That is one other concern, that not getting their checkups and going to the physician may result in longer-term points, which is unhealthy for the worker and unhealthy for the medical insurance plan. They’ve constructed the funds collectively based mostly on that,” he mentioned.
He mentioned the withdrawal of three faculty districts has additionally impacted the plan. At their request, the Canton, Edwards-Knox and Ogdensburg faculty districts have formally withdrawn from the plan.
“A few them have been working at a loss, so really that has type of helped the plan, based on the report,” Mr. Brady mentioned.
He mentioned, due to these components, they have been taking a look at a 2% enhance within the medical insurance plan.
“The trade common proper now’s a few 3½% to five% enhance in premiums. They really feel with the extent of fund steadiness now due to the financial savings by way of the pandemic interval, that we might be wanting on the subsequent 12 months, perhaps a few years, the place we may very well be at that decrease stage of enhance in medical insurance,” Mr. Brady mentioned.
He mentioned medical insurance was one of many greatest prices within the district. The Massena Central College District at present budgets $12,594,723 for medical insurance.
Workmen’s compensation was additionally in good condition, he mentioned.
“They’re not on the lookout for a rise subsequent 12 months. Due to the pandemic, they’ve seen much less instances of workmen’s comp throughout the pandemic final 12 months. So that they have been ready to avoid wasting cash this 12 months. The primary quarter was larger, however a part of that was they have been paying off a few massive claims. Total, they really feel they’ve a reasonably wholesome fund steadiness they usually’re not on the lookout for any enhance in workmen’s comp claims for subsequent 12 months,” Mr. Brady mentioned.
The Massena Central College District at present budgets $370,069 for workmen’s compensation claims. Claims over the previous 4 years, together with related plan prices have been $420,435 in 2016-17; $284,114 in 2017-18; $343,905 in 2018-19; and $228,577 in 2019-20.
