Franklin County may open health plan to towns

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November 20, 2008

By DENISE A. RAYMO The Press Republican Sat May 15, 2010, 01:09 AM EDT

HARRIETSTOWN — Franklin County has set its health-insurance premiums and may offer its self-insurance program to interested municipalities.

The suggestion was made following a report from Legislator Timothy Burpoe (D-Saranac Lake) about an informal county-budget session held earlier this month at the Harrietstown Town Hall.

Harrietstown Town Supervisor Larry Miller was one of a handful of people who attended that session.

Burpoe said Miller suggested a brainstorming session where town leaders from the county's south end could meet to find ways to share services, cut costs and possibly consolidate.

That's when County Finance Committee Chairman Earl Lavoie said one area where the entities might save could be with medical care.

He said it may "benefit the town to roll into our health-care self insurance."

The insurance-premiums schedule for 2009 was recently adopted by legislators.

"Health-insurance rates are only going up 5 percent this year," said Republican Legislator Paul Maroun of Tupper Lake. "Other counties are up 8, 10 or 12 percent. This is good news."

The monthly rates for active employees are $540.14 for individuals and $1,523.73 for a family.

Under the 1986 Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) regulations for coverage after a person leaves employment, the individual rate is $441.14 and $1,195.10.

Those insured in special districts, such as the County Industrial Development Agency and County Tourism Office, are charged $599.38 a month as an individual and $1,561.09 for a family plan.

Retiree benefits cost $176.66 a month for an individual who does not receive Medicare, $353.25 for a retiree and their spouse without Medicare, $409 for a non-Medicare retiree family plan, $145 for an individual retiree with Medicare, $290.75 for a retiree with spouse with Medicare and $311.92 for a retiree and family with Medicare coverage.

In other action, legislators:

  Urged Sen. Betty Little (R-Queensbury) and Assemblywoman Janet Duprey (R-Peru) to back a bill from Binghamton Republican Sen. Tom Libous to retain the same funding level in the 2009-10 state budget for the Consolidated Highway Improvement Program as it was in 2008-09.

  Appointed Boyce Sherwin and William Cross to one-year terms on the County Industrial Development Agency Board of Directors, to expire Nov. 30, 2009.

  Rescinded a resolution made Oct. 16 to transfer $3,164 from the general fund to the Retired Senior Volunteer Program to cover a shortfall to reimburse mileage expenses to Meals on Wheels drivers. Enough money was found to last until the end of the calendar year, but it is expected to be brought up again at the end of February.

E-mail Denise A. Raymo at: draymo@pressrepublican.com