HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/30/2002 B A K E R S F I E L D
(-';'"~// Harold Hanson, Chair
Alan Tandy'~City Man;~j6r Irma Carson
Staff: Alan Christensen Mark Salvaggio
AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
SP. ECIAL MEETING · PERSONNEL COMMITTEE
Tuesday, July 30, 2002, 12:00 noon
City Manager's Conf~rer~ce Room, Suite 201
Second Fldor, City Hall, 1501 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA
1. ROLL CALL
Called to Order at 12:07 p.m.
Present: Councilmembers Harold Hanson, Chair; Mark Salvaggio; and
Irma Carson (arrived at 12:15' p.m.)
2. ADOPT JUNE 18, 2002 AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
Adopted as submitted.
3. PUBLIC STATEMENTS
4. NEW BUSINESS
A. Staff update on City Physician RFP (Request for Proposals)
Risk Manager. Patrick Flaherty briefed the Committee. The Insurance Committee
met earlier in the day and reviewed the list of proposed physicians. With
Committee approval, the City Physician RFP will be sent out on August 2nd, with
a due date of September 6th. The Interviews for the 'finalists will be on
September 12th. The contracts should be going to the City Council in October
2002. The current three-year contracts expire in November 2002.
The interview panel for the City Physician oral interviews is proposed to consist
of Human Resources Manager Carroll Hayden, Assistant Police Chief Bill Rector,
Fire Chief Ron Fraze, Risk Manager Patrick Flaherty, and Jeff McHale from
AIMS.
ADOPTED AS SUBHITTED ON SEPTENBER 17, 2002
Agenda Summary Report
Personnel Committee Meeting
July 30, 2002
Page - 2-
City physicians mainly perform pre-employment physicals', drug screening,
fitness for duty, and workers' compensation. The new contracts will be for a term
of three years. Currently Dr. ChriStiansen handles the pre-employment physicals
for the City and workers' compensation for the Miscellaneous employees. Dr.
Howard Miller at Bakersfield Occupational Medical Group handles workers'
compensation for Police Safety, and Dr. Del Toro at Southwest Urgent Care
Center, handles workers' compensation for Fire Safety.
Chuck Waide, CCAPE, spoke regarding the employees being able to select a
doctor from the certified list and also asked if employees are able to go to the
same doctor for return to work releases.
If employees have industrial injuries, they go to the same City doctor for return to
work release. If employees are off due to non-work related injuries and go to
their own doctor, they would go to a City physician for the return to work release.
It was explained employees may fill out a form to pre-designate their own current
doctor for industrial injuries-covered by workers' compensation, or employees
may pre-select any one of the City doctors on contract. If employees do not
choose to pre-designate or pre-select their choice, they go to the doctor for their
unit.
Police Officer Scott spoke about having the pre-selection process expanded and
having more than three City physicians on contract to choose from, perhaps four
or five.
There was discussion regarding the difficulty to find doctors qualified with special
expertise and experienced in industrial medicine to fill the City's diverse needs.
In the past the City had only one industrial doctor and now has three. Staff
explained to be able to ensure all employees have uniform, equal care for same
injuries, it is more efficient.to work with three physicians and did not recommend
having more that four. As employees may pre-designate their personal
physician, this allows employees other choices.
The Committee approved sending out the RFP for City Physician. After the
selection process, staff will prepare a memo covering the physician selection
process.
B. Staff report and review of Blue Cross Program for 2001
Human Resources Manager Carroll Hayden introduced Buck Consultants Tim
Beck and Michael Schionning and explained they had met earlier in the day with
the Insurance Committee,. which included representatives from the employee
units.
Agenda Summary Report
Personnel Committee Meeting
July 30, 2002
Page - 3-
The consultants gave an overview of 2001 results for the self-funded plan which
is the Blue Cross PPO and Blue Cross dental plan. The plan ran a surplus of
$695,000, which will be used to off-set the deficit carried forward, so the plan
now has a surplus that can be used in future years to help stabilize increases.
Projected 2002 results. With claim experience through the end of May 2002,
basically the plan is running right at expected levels and projected to have a
~;light .additional surplus of about $79,000.
C. Staff report, discussion and Committee recommendation on Foundation
for Medical Care of Kern County
Currently for the self-fun~ded PPO plan and Blue Cross dental plan the actual
provider network and claim payments are being handled by the Foundation for
Medical Care of Kern County (Kern Foundation), which is the preferred provider
network for Blue Cross. Because of is~;ues regarding network access,
particularlY in the dental plan, and increases in bOth administrative costs and
their provider discount, Buck consultants had asked Blue Cross what the
difference in cost would be if we uSe Blue Cross Prudent Buyer instead of Kern
Foundation.
However, the Insurance Committee asked for the following information before
making a recommendation: the total provider list of physicians, Blue Cross
Provider list and updated Kern Foundation list. There was concern regarding
actual doctors and dentists being used by employees and if they were included
on the network. If employees had to change dOctors, it may not be a good
decision to change to Prudent Buyer. There are financial benefits, but not if there
is a huge disruption with the need to change doctors.
The-Personnel Committee voted not to take any action until the Insurance
Committee reviews the requested information and makes its recommendation to
stay with Kern Foundation or make a-change to Prudent Buyer.
D. Staff report, review and Committee recommendation on health
insurance plans projected 2003 rates
Renewal Summary for 2003.
Blue Cross PPO with Kern Foundation will have an 18.8% increase or if there is
a decision to change to Prudent Buyer an 8.2% increase.
Blue Cross HMO will increase 29.9%. This is a blended rate between the
retirees and the actives, so the 'entire experience is included. Prescription drugs
for retirees have doubled in the past year.
Agenda Summary Report
Personnel Committee Meeting
July 30, 2002
Page - 4-
Blue Cross Senior.Secure - Medical Risk will be increasing 109.5%. This rate
has doubled for everyone in the County that has this plan.
Kaiser HMO will be increasing 12.5%, which seems to be their trend.
Kaiser Medical Risk will increase 52.7%.
Secure HoriZons HMO has not given a rate as there is only one person
remaining in the plan, so it may not be offered. Consistent increases in this area
are.about.50% to 60%.
Blue Cross Dental will increase 13.6%. If there is a decision to change to
Prudent Buyer a 5.8% increase.
Dedicated Den~tal will increase 5.1% and Pacific Dental will increase 5.0%.
The other plans are keeping the current rates.
The overall increase will be 20.8%, which is a $2,254,985 increase for a total
projected premium for 2003 of $13,078,785 with Kern Foundation. If there is a
change to Prudent Buyer the increase will be 14.1%, which is a $1,541,075
increase for a total projected premium for.2003 of $12,488,979.
Chuck Waide spoke about the rate increases and felt the increases, although
substantial, were very good compared to other agencies and Commented the
City's insurance plan is working well.
The Personnel Committee voted not to take any action until the Insurance
Committee reviews the requested information and makes its recommendation to
stay with Kern Foundation or make a change to Prudent Buyer.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 1:20 p.m.
Staff attendance: City Manager Alan Tandy, City Attorney Bart Thiltgen, Assistant .City
· Manager Alan Christensen, Risk Manager Patrick Flaherty; Human Resources Manager
Carroll Hayden; Benefit Technician Ginger Rubin; Police Officer Harry Scott; and Police
Officer.Bill Ware.
Others: Chuck Waide, CCAPE; Denny Haynes, CCAPE; and Buck Consultants Tim Beck
and Michael Schionning.