Council member at large Kim Ecklund reads out finance committee resolutions (May 15, 2023)
Stop gap insurance costs are expected to rise 37% next year for the City of Jamestown.
City Council Finance Chair Kim Ecklund reported out that City Clerk Jennifer Williams and former City Comptroller Joe Bellitto have met with bid applicants to provide the city an Annual Stop Loss Program.
She said they both recommended staying with Highmark, who is the current administrator and insurance carrier, “Unfortunately, the increase is 37% for a budget increase of $160,521 for next year. So, all these times I keep saying we’ve got these increases, this was a pretty significant one. I was expecting to see an increase, I’m not going to lie, but I wasn’t expecting to see 37% for $160,000.”
Ecklund said there was a higher deductible offered by Highmark but Bellitto did not recommend that option.
She said the increase is due to cost of doing business and that there are five people on the plan whose medical costs have passed the stop loss amount of $175,000.
A resolution for accepting the bid by Highmark for a Stop Loss Program is expected to appear on the May 22 voting agenda.
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