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Calling the insurance benefits "very competitive," the Kosciusko County commissioners approved a proposal presented Tuesday for county employees, effective Jan. 1.
Changes include: For major medical benefits in network, the deductible for a single person will increase from $100 to $250 and up to $500 for a family plan. Under hospital benefits, outpatient sickness and outpatient accident for the emergency room will increase to $75 for co-pay.
Sue Ann Mitchell, county auditor, said prescriptions will be cheaper by mail. Cost for prescriptions, retail, is $10 for a generic brand or $20 for a brand name, but not less than 20 percent of the prescription's total cost; and mail order cost is $20 for a generic, $40 brand, but not less than 20 percent. The maximum employee annual out-of-pocket expenses for prescriptions is $1,000. The mail-order prescription is cheaper because the order is for three months, while a prescription paid retail is for a one-month order only.
Mitchell said county administrator Ron Robinson and the insurance agents haven't talked about the exact insurance rates yet, but this is simply what the benefits will be.
In other business:
• Kosciusko County Highway Superintendent and Engineer Rob Ladson reported lights and gates were installed at the CSX railroad at CR 325E so the stop sign needs to be removed, which the commissioners approved.
• Kosciusko County Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine reported the jail has taken in 10 prisoners from Clark County because of that county's overcrowding problem. Clark County will pay Kosciusko County for their help.
Rovenstine also thanked businesses and individuals who made donations to the county jail. While the county jail is not soliciting donations, he said, the money is very useful.
• The commissioners approved the Indiana National Guard Reserves' use of the courthouse lawn for the swearing-in of four military recruits. Time and date are undetermined.
• The Gatke property transfer to Warsaw was unanimously approved.
• In another matter, Marna Riedel's petition to rezone ground from environmental to agricultural was unanimously approved. The 21.05-acre property is on the east side of CR 350W and zero feet north of CR 200N in Prairie Township.
• An encroachment agreement for Gary Green was approved without any remonstrators present. The non-county-maintained right of way is 25 feet off Channel Avenue in Turkey Creek Township.
Kosciusko County commissioners are Brad Jackson, Ron Truex and Avis Gunter. They meet at 9 a.m. in the county courthouse, Warsaw, every other Tuesday.
