Insurance changes draw ire

Changes made to the Iberia Parish employee health insurance plan, including an increased deductible and the elimination of an office visit co-pay, have drawn the ire of Iberia Parish Council members who believe they were left out of the policy-making loop.

The changes went into action April 2 after Insurance Consultant Mark Romero, working on a volunteer basis, developed the revisions to the parish health insurance benefit system. The changes will be in effect for at least one year.

Romero said the deductible changed from $750 to $1,000 per calendar year and the office visit co-pay benefit was removed.

With respect to workers compensation, Romero said the parish is now insured under a guaranteed cost arrangement, fully insured, versus the self-insurance arrangement that was previously maintained.

“The changes were made in order to avoid an increase of $266,537 that would have applied if benefits in the 2007 plan remained in effect,” Romero said.

Parish Councilwoman Maggie Daniels said she has “serious concerns” with the changes because they were done without the Iberia Parish Council’s knowledge.

“We were not given the chance to review our options,” she said. “Now, there is no co-pay for a doctor’s visit. Whatever the doctor charges, that’s what you have to pay.”

Daniels said the parish had enough money in its budget to meet the additional costs for the deductible.

Councilman Barry Verret was under the impression any health insurance plan changes would come back to the council for a vote. He wants changes made to next year’s parish insurance plan.

“Plus, there is concern about the increase in the deductible, up from $750 to $1,000,” Verret said.

“This could be a financial strain on some, and we should have let the employees make the choice.”

Councilman John Berard said if money was set aside in the budget to keep deductibles at previous levels, the parish should have honored that.

“We don’t need to balance our budget on the sick bed of our parish employees,” he said.

Parish President Ernest Freyou today described the changes as a “win-win” situation.”

“I think it saved the parish over $258,000,” Freyou said. “It was a business decision and only impacted very few people.”