San Benito ISD Mulls New Insurance Consultant

Trustees will meet Tuesday, McCall said, to consider soliciting proposals for a consultant to oversee the district’s health insurance programs that include the managed care plan that took effect Oct. 1.She added that Glenn Hillyer billed the district $82,234 from January to December 2013.“With the kind of money we paid him we need to go out for proposals,” McCall said.The district’s finance committee last Tuesday recommended that the school board seek proposals for a consultant that could replace Hillyer. Trustees last month delayed action on whether to search for a consultant until the finance committee considered the matter.Hillyer said he has proposed reducing his hourly rate of $150 to address concerns that he billed the district too much, but he said his $150-hourly rate is “the going rate for consultants.”He has proposed a flat monthly rate of $4,000, which would save the district about $20,000 a year.“I don’t really know why they’re going out for bids,” Hillyer said. “They could renegotiate with me. I can’t imagine why they would want to replace me. There’s no consultant that can step in immediately and do what I’m doing for the school district.”While “the vast majority of staff is very pleased” with the new managed care, McCall said she is concerned about its expenses.

Richard Garza, whose company ISD Managed Care Services runs the clinic that helps administer the managed care plan, wants to expand weekly operations by 15 hours to care for an increase in patients, McCall said.

Hillyer said 1,165 employees enrolled in the managed care plan while officials had projected 700 would participate.

But the clinic’s proposed expansion would cost the district about $29,000 a year, McCall said. She proposed that the school board approve a payment of $1,958 to cover the clinic’s 5.21 overtime hours worked this fiscal year.

The clinic’s overtime expenses are a result of providing treatment to patients who arrive shortly before daily closing hours, Hillyer said.

The managed care plan, touted as a model of the Affordable Care Act, replaced Blue Cross Blue Shield, which was the district’s third-party administrator for five years.

Board member Anna Cruz, who voted against the managed care plan, warned it would use district employees as “guinea pigs.”

But Garza said the plan offers employees efficient, low-cost health care.

“I feel I put together a great plan and it’s working,” Hillyer said.

fdelvalle@valleystar.com

Editor’s Note: This is the same school district that is paying brokerage commissions of +$100,000 for stop loss insurance to “avoid risk.” – http://blog.riskmanagers.us/?p=12355