By Richard Meek

Contributing Writer

LAPLACE – St. John the Baptist Parish will incur a nearly 10 percent hike in healthcare premiums, but parish employees will not be forced to bear the added expenses, Parish President Natalie Robottom said.

Robottom said the parish is financially able to absorb the increase, and employees’ coverage will not be affected for the upcoming year. The parish pays 100 percent of healthcare costs for employees, including dental and vision care.

 “We had anticipated an increase of 10 percent and planned for it (in the 2013 budget) so we came in a little less,” Robottom said shortly after a parish finance committee meeting Monday night. “We will not pass it on to the employees.”

Parish Human Resource Director Stacey Cador had earlier told committee members Coventry Health Care of Louisiana was the only bidder for the parish’s insurance coverage and submitted a bid of $3,336,215.40, an increase of 9.9 percent, or $307,348.80, from 2012. Cador said the hike was less than the industry standard average of 13 percent.

After the meeting Cador said the only change is that employees co-pay for non-generic prescription drugs will go up $5 per prescription. She said the parish chose that plan because it helped keep the overall cost lower.

Coventry will provide healthcare coverage to the parish for the second consecutive year. As is the case this year, it is a one-year contract, meaning it will have to go out to bid for 2014.

She said the parish would like to have a multiyear contract but companies are only guaranteeing rates for one year.

Councilman Art Smith said he was concerned about the lack of bids, saying it’s giving the appearance of a non-competitive process.

“We need to get (more) so it comes competitive,” he said.

“It’s a wonderful perk for our employees,” Robottom said. “We have been fortunate to get (reasonable) bids so we don’t (have to pass the cost on to employees).”