Jim Fair
City employees will be required to participate and pass 5 of 9 health points from a wellness plan of their peers or pay higher insurance fees.
City Administrator Ed Driggers told City Council Tuesday that, the intent of the program “is to promote a healthy workforce and reduce increased premiums. It rewards good behavior, a healthy lifestyle and reduces cost,” he said.
Driggers said the city, which is self-insured, pays the employees’ $600 annual fee. Family and dependents can be added to the plan for an additional amount.
Employees will be required to submit a health assessment form in fiscal year 2014-2015. Failure to do so or not meeting 5 of 9 health points will be mandated to pay a specific amount toward their health insurance as a draft from the employee’s paycheck.
There are 180 of 184 eligible employees enrolled on the city’s health plan.
The 9-point “opportunities”, each worth one point, Driggers presented are:
• Attend a minimum of two events programmed by the Wellness Committee.
• A1c reading within American Medical Association normal guidelines.
• Blood pressure with AMA normal guidelines.
• Cholesterol with AMA normal guidelines.
• Body mass index of 29 or below.
• Sign an affidavit that the employee does not use tobacco.
• Undergo an annual wellness physical.
• Undergo an annual cancer screening.
• Undergo an annual eye or dental exam.
• Employees must meet five of those nine requirements in 2015 to take their premium to $0.
Beginning in 2016, the requirement will be meeting six of the nine requirements.
Beginning in 2017, the requirements will extend to spouses covered in the program through family coverage (for which employees pay premiums).