HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 10-17-2000-8gi
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: October 17, 2000
Action Agenda
Item No. J
SUBJECT: Em la ee Dental Insurance for 2001
DEPARTMENT: Personnel PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
ATTACHMENT(S):
Draft Monthly Dental Insurance Rates
INFORMATION CONTACT:
Elaine Holmes, Personnel Director
Extension 2550
TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
Hillsborough 732-8181
Chapel Hill 968-4501
Durham 688-7331
Mebane 336-227-2031
PURPOSE: To consider an increase in rates for employee dental insurance effective
January 1, 2001.
BACKGROUND: The County's employee dental insurance program is aself-insured plan.
Delta Dental is the plan administrator. Delta Dental has recommended new County rates for
the 2001 calendar year (beginning January 1, 2001).
In summary, Delta Dental recommends the County increase its rates. The recommended rates
would increase County cost for 2000-01 by about $28,000 in total for the approximately 720
positions covered in the dental insurance group. Funds are available within the approved
dental insurance budget for fiscal year 2000-01. The County increased dental rates in 2000 and
the last increase prior to that was effective January 1, 1994.
2001 Dental Insurance Rates
The recommended rates for 2001 represent an increase in monthly County cost per employee
of $5.58 and an increase in cost to the employee for dependent coverage of $8.08 to $13.80
per month depending on coverage selected. This is an approximate 40 percent increase.
Since the County's dental insurance is self insured, the County's dental insurance costs are
made up the Delta Dental administrative fee and the direct cost for dental claims.
• The Delta Dental administrative fee is not increasing. The administrative fee remains at
$1.65 per employee per month or a total cost of about $12,500 each year for all employees.
• The approximate 40 percent increase arises from the direct cost of claims: This results from
several factors including increases in dental insurance costs already experienced, projected
trend in dental insurance costs through 2001, increased utilization of the plan and
improvements in the plan over the years such as the bringing the table of allowances for
dental services up to the Research Triangle average. The total cost of claims in the dental
insurance fund presently is about $215,000 annually.
An additional factor impacting the need for the increase is the fact that plan reserves are no
longer available to offset increases. 'In the past, the County has been able to rely on plan
reserves accumulated in earlier years to offset cost increases. Those reserves now have been
drawn dawn. To maintain the self-insurance fund, it is necessary to implement the rate
increases proposed.
County Contribution for Employee Dental Insurance
Attached are the draft monthly dental insurance rates for 2001. This shows the total cost,
County cost and employee cost for each coverage type. The rate for each coverage type has
been increased about 40 percent. In the past the County has paid the full cast of individual
employee dental insurance coverage and has not made a contribution for dependent coverage.
The attached rates have been calculated in this same manner.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The estimated 2000-01 County cost of the increase is about $28,000
(December through June). The Budget Director advises that the cost of the increase can be
covered from funds available within the approved dental insurance budget for 2000-01. The
approved dental insurance budget for 2000-01 was $128,529, including an increase of $29,626.
RECOMMENDATION(S~: The Manager recommends that the Board approve the attached
dental insurance rates effective January 1, 2001.
Attachment
Draft Monthly Dental Insurance Rates
For 2001
Coverage Type Total Cost County Cost Employee Cost
Old New Old New Old New
Employee. Only 13.80 19.3$ 13.80 19.3$ 0 0
Employee/Children 37.60 52.82 13.80 19.38 23.80 33.44
Employee/Spouse 33.76 47.42 13.80 19.38 19.96 28.04
Employee/Family 47.90 67.28 13.80 19.38 34.10 47.90