Newton school district staff face higher health insurance costs

The question Gary Jantz will answer for teachers in USD 373 Friday isn’t if the premiums for the school district health insurance will go up, but how much.

“We have had a number of major illnesses, which has driven up premiums,” Jantz said following Monday night’s board of education meeting. “This affects all of our employees who are on our insurance plan.”

Jantz told the board last year the insurance company paid 25 percent more in claims than was collected for premiums — and the new premiums would increase by about the same amount.

“For three years in a row, what the insurance company has paid out has exceeded what we have paid in premiums,” Jantz said. “Hopefully, that will turn around soon.”

The trend is leading to another increase in premiums for district employees, who are a part of the group insurance plan offered by the schools.

This year’s increase is substantial. A single insurance plan will jump from $304 a month to $382, for a family it will jump from $935 to $1,177 a month.

The increase has prompted the district benefits team to look at alternatives — from offering a higher deductible plan to changing providers.

“Right now, the committee is leaning to offering a higher deductible plan,” Jantz said. “Right now it’s $500 or $1,000. We could add a $2,000 deductible plan which could help save some healthy families.”

The 25 percent increase in premiums likely will affect ongoing contract negotiations with the Newton National Educator’s Association.

The district gives teachers $195 towards a single insurance plan, $245 for an employee plus one plan and $295 for a family plan.

“I am sure it will affect negotiations when we talk about benefits and what the district gives toward insurance,” Jantz said.

He also said the committee has not made its final recommendation — but district employees will be notified by e-mail when that decision is reached.

In other business, the board:

• Approved changes to the Chisholm Middle and Santa Fe Middle School student agendas.

• Accepted a letter of resignation from Debbie Ekrut, business teacher at Newton High School.

• Approved the hiring of Peter Anderson as computer teacher at Santa Fe Middle School, Jo Ellen McPheeters as special education teacher at Newton High School and Adrienne Thompson as fourth-grade teacher at Sunset Elementary. The district has six positions open — three special education positions, business teacher at NHS, music at St. Mary and adult education at Axtell Learning Center.