Commissioners OK decision to keep Bibb retiree benefits
For almost two hours, commissioners were stuck on one topic — healthcare coverage.
“All of this is associated with the national healthcare crisis. Everybody’s healthcare prices are going up,” Macon-Bibb Mayor Robert Reichert said.
Officials agreed to introduce a new policy that’ll require retirees to pay 10 percent more on their premiums after January 1, 2015.
Right now, current employees and those who’ve retired from the former county government, are paying the same premium.
Mayor Robert Reichert calls it a deal.
“It allows them to keep, as a retiree no longer an active employee, the county insurance which is a cost of $80 which is a significant bargain,” Reichert said.
He adds one of the consolidated government’s goals is to keep the program viable, with low costs, for current and future employees.
“You’re talking about current employees, you’re talking about retirees, and you’re talking about tax paying citizens,” Reichert said.
The original proposal called for a 25% increase on premiums, but commissioners shot that down.
On top of that, officials are trying to manage subsidies for retirees who worked for what was Bibb County.
“Certain employees previously employed by the Bibb County are eligible to receive, but city of Macon and new employees are not,” Reichert said.
228 retirees in the former county government are already receiving those benefits, a total cost of 388 dollars per person — with another 133 eligible next year.
Costing the government more than a million dollars.
The committee voted 4 to 1 to see that the retirees continue to get the subsidy, but agree something must be done to keep health expenses down. and, save more money for taxpayers.
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