By LEONARD GRAY

LAPLACE – The parish president’s veto against a $2.8 million health insurance plan for St. John the Baptist Parish employees was recently allowed to stand by a unanimous vote of the parish council.

The council approved by a 6-3 vote a new United Health Care plan, despite opposition from some council members and some parish employees.

Employees are still upset at costs spiraling upward and some, working at barely above minimum wage, may find their medical costs will severely slice into their pay.

The council approved a United Health Care plan on May 28, but Parish President Nickie Monica vetoed the action, calling it “fiscally irresponsible.”

In his veto message, Monica noted: “Health care coverage has always been the cornerstone of the parish employees benefits package. All parish employees and their families receive health, dental and life insurance without any monthly premium participation. That commitment still exists today. The high cost associated with this plan jeopardizes the long-term security for our employees and their families.”

Complaints were raised, though, that parish employees were allowed little or no input during the process. Parish employee Peter Cazalas observed, “They say more employees should have spoken, but were never given the chance.”

As example, parish employee Bert Cashio of Garyville attempted to make his own point known on the issue at a recent insurance committee meeting, but the cable camera and microphone were switched off in the midst of his comments. Cashio at first attempted to point out perceived inequities in a parish president calling a health care plan “fiscally irresponsible,” where his own administration is heavy with well-paid department directors and money can often be found to afford new parish vehicles.

He pointed out his $7.90 per hour wage in the Roads and Bridges Department and though Cashio said he has other income, most of his fellow employees do not and are living hand-to-mouth.

“We need relief, and only you can give it to us,” Cashio commented to the insurance committee.

However, Councilman Allen St. Pierre said the council decided 10 years ago to put all meetings, committee and council, on local cable television.

“This shouldn’t have happened,” he added of Cashio’s interruption.

However, council secretary Audrey Millet said the council had only approved airing the preceding finance committee meeting and when the cameraman realized the camera was still on, it was cut off.

As for the 1992 resolution about committee meetings, she said that was to tape all committee meetings for possible reference, but not necessarily air them on television.

Nonetheless, St. Pierre said he planned to put the parish employee on the agenda for the next meeting, scheduled July 9 in Edgard.

At the heart of the matter was the amount of annual deductible to be paid by employees. United Health Care offered two alternate plans, one where employees paid a $500 annual deductible, or $1,000 per family; the other where employees paid no deductible. This was similar to The Oath’s plan, which filed for bankruptcy earlier this year, sending governments, school boards and sheriff’s office across the area scrambling for replacements. Also on the table was a plan with Blue Cross-Louisiana, with no annual deductible.

The Oath had an annual cost to the parish of $1.9 million. Blue Cross’s plan had an annual cost of $2.3 million. The United Health Care package recommended by the insurance committee cost $2.2 million. What was selected at the climax of the regular council meeting, though, was the alternate United plan, which would cost the parish $2.8 million, at motion by Wolfe and seconded by St. Pierre, passing by a 5-4 vote.

What the council approved was the plan recommended by Monica’s administration, offered by United Health Care at an annual premium cost of $2.2 million, or a 16.14 percent increase over the current plan. The newest plan met with opposition by employees over items such as the $500 annual deductible charged to employees on the basic plan, though the plan itself is offered “at no cost” to employees. The plan offers a “buy-up” option, where an annual deductible is not charged, with other costs being less, but the buy-up on a single employee is $667.32. For an employee and spouse, the buy-up goes to $1,401.24, and an employee and family goes to $1,935.12.

The current prescription drug plan offers co-pay costs of $10 for generic, $30 for name brand formulary and $60 for non-formulary.

The new plan offers $8, $25 and $50 on the basic performance plan and $5, $20 and $45 on the buy-in premium plan.

However, this comes at a cost of a $500 deductible, which many employees do not want to pay.

“They disappointed me,” Cashio said of the council’s action.

“I’m not too happy with the way it turned out,” St. Pierre commented after the meeting, “but what concerns me are the employees making seven to nine dollars an hour.”

St. Pierre observed, “Lord knows, I don’t know where they’re getting the money they’ve been spending for the last two years.”

Wilson, on the other hand, complained about the “three heroes” who voted against this latest health care plan.

“If those council members want to sit back and play hero, let them do some work and come up with a plan and take some responsibility, and I would support it.”