A voluntary plan to move Medicare-eligible city retirees to a Medicare Advantage plan will be reviewed by Jamestown City Council tonight.
The staff report states plan was developed over the last eight months by a City Health Insurance Committee made up of representatives from City Council, City Administration, and active and retired employees.
The committee determined an optional Medicare Pilot Program from Highmark Western New York would help lower healthcare costs for all participants. The proposed agreement would have the City pay all healthcare premiums for five years for Medicare-eligible participants, with the option for the participants to return to the City’s self-funded plan within one year should they choose.
The potential savings to the city are dependent upon the total number of enrollees. The city could potentially save $1,580 per participant per year, and on average could save up to $1,800 per year per participant in the initial five years.
In his 2021 Executive Budget proposal, Mayor Eddie Sundquist had proposed switching retirees over the age of 65 from the City’s self-funded healthcare program to a medicare supplemental plan, which Sundquist said would result in $1.1 million in savings. City Council pulled the proposal last year after current and retired union members spoke against the proposal and picketed in front of City Hall. The proposal had also drawn concern from city council members.
The difference in the proposal appearing before Council tonight is that it’s an optional program for retirees.
The Chautauqua Region Community Foundation will be reporting out to Jamestown City Council tonight on feedback received at public input sessions about the City’s American Rescue Plan Master Plan.
Four public input sessions were held this summer on the plan to spend $28 million received in recovery monies from the Federal government. The CRCF compiled comments at those sessions as well as private sessions held with local organizations and businesses.
City Council is expected to act on a resolution this month to accept the master plan ahead of the Mayor’s Executive Budget being released on Friday, October 8th.
City Council also will hear a presentation by the Deer Management Ad Hoc Committee. The committee, led by Council member Tom Nelson, has proposed a resolution to allow bow hunting in designated areas of the city between November and December in order to reduce the number of deer.
The Public Safety Committee will revisit a special event permit application by Shults Management Group for the company’s 50th Anniversary event on Saturday, September 25th. The application had been tabled last Monday due to questions about the insurance certificate, a request for police payment and permit payment not received in the Clerk’s office.
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