In the "minutes" of the June 22nd Special Meeting of the Cairo Board of Education, a "heads up" was given of collaborative efforts by the District's Insurance Committee, District officials, and Broker Kenny Johnson to come up with an alternative to the 38% increase in insurance premiums announced by BlueCross and Blue Shield. (The new BCBS rates were to have gone into effect on July 1st, with increased premium payments to be made by the employee in June.)

The heads up indicated that "the plan" was to continue with BCBS for another three months, join with Egyptian Trust beginning on September 1st, "floating premiums" during a transition period...all dependent upon acceptance by Egyptian Trust.

According to communications received yesterday, Egyptian Trust has, indeed, accepted the Cairo group effective September 1st.

Since any change of carrier and/or coverage must be approved by a majority of the membership of the group, members will receive a "Letter of Authorization" in the near future...an "absentee ballot" so to speak. Your signature will indicate your acceptance of "the plan".

The Plan:

• Continue coverage with BCBS through August 31st. (Keep using your current Medical/Prescription ID Cards during this period.)

• The District has agreed to advance/loan/"pay" the premium increase for the BCBS coverage (in June and July) to cover July and August. (Your signature on the "Letter of Authorization" is your acceptance of this "loan".)

• Beginning with the August 15th payroll (to be paid on August 13th due to its falling on a Sunday), you will begin paying premiums toward Egyptian Trust coverage. (It is my understanding that the "new premium" will be the same as your current premium for BCBS, so you will NOT notice any difference. Since the premium for Egyptian Trust coverage is actually lower than the "old" BCBS premium, the premium paid beginning with the August 15th payroll will actually pay for the new Egyptian Trust coverage AND begin repaying the "loan" for the interim BCBS coverage.

• This arrangement (continuing to pay your current premium deduction) will continue through the January 30th payroll (to be paid on January 28th due to its falling on a Sunday.)

• Beginning with the February 15th payroll, your monthly deduction for CSD #1 Group Health Insurance coverage will actually drop (since the District's "loan" will have been repaid. I don't have the actual figure...)

• NOTE: Retirees and others leaving the group - You are liable for the increased BCBS premium covering July and August that the District paid/will pay for you. (Since you will not be repaying the "loan" through payroll deduction, you will have to "settle up" with the District separately.)

As usual, I have been "wordy". Hopefully, however, I have been clear...

Members of the CSD #1 Insurance Committee will be reading this post along with you. If I have erred in my portrayal, they will correct me...and I will pass that information along to you. (So, revisit this link/post, say mid-week, and if there have been any corrections, they will be posted separately at the top where you can't miss them. If there are no changes, I will indicate that also...)

If you have any questions, e-mail me and I will pass them along to the District Insurance Committee for their review/response.

That's all for now!