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Employee Group Insurance Renewals <br />September 5, 2017 <br />Page 2 <br />coverage, long-term disability (LTD) insurance through the carrier Aetna, vision insurance <br />through EyeMed, Flexible Spending accounts through TASC and EAP Program through REACH <br />for all employees. Cook Insurance Service is the broker of record for dental coverage through the <br />carriers Delta and MetLife. These coverages are sent out to bid by the brokers on a regular basis, <br />usually in the summer of each year. Rates are finalized and issued in time for open enrollment in <br />September of each year. The new rates are effective annually on January 1. <br />The City purchases its medical insurance through CalPERS. The CalPERS health benefit <br />program was established in 1962 under the Public Employees Medical and Hospital Care Act <br />(PEMHCA). In 1967 the program was expanded to allow all public agencies access to the <br />program. The City through a resolution amended its' contract with CaIPERS to allow it to <br />participate in PEMCHA in 1996. <br />CaIPERS is the second largest public purchaser of insurance in the nation behind the Federal <br />Government and currently provides insurance for all State employees, public colleges and <br />universities and to more than 1,000 school districts and local governments. To address the issue <br />of rising health care costs, market stability, access and choice for contracting agencies, CalPERS <br />utilizes a regional price approach grouping similar located agencies into regions. This approach <br />and other polices are credited with holding down health care premiums, negotiating lower prices <br />from hospitals and negotiating savings on prescription drugs. <br />The change in CaIPERS basic HMO health plan rates range from a decrease of 10.60% for Blue <br />Shield Access+ to an increase of 13.12% for Health Net Smart Care. The average increase for all <br />HMO health plans will be 2.01% and the average decrease for all basic PPO health plans will be <br />2.46%. Currently the City contribution toward medical benefits for all bargaining units (except <br />POA) is tied to the Kaiser rate (subject to labor negotiation agreements). Since Kaiser rates are <br />increasing by 11.22% in 2018. Employees who chose plans other than Kaiser will be responsible <br />for any increase in cost above the City contribution. Attached as Exhibit "A" are the CalPERS <br />Health Premiums for 2018. <br />Retirees are not included in the annual cost estimates. The Police Officers Association maintains <br />its own insurance programs for medical, dental, vision and LTD coverage. <br />The City purchases its dental insurance through Delta Dental and MetLife. Delta rates will not <br />increase for 2018 and is guaranteed through December 31, 2019. MetLife rates will increase by <br />5% and is guaranteed through December 31, 2019. <br />The City purchases its life and long term disability insurance through Aetna. The premium rates <br />will not increase for 2018 and are guaranteed through December 31, 2020. <br />The City purchases its vision insurance through EyeMed. The City does not contribute to the cost <br />of this coverage. Employees are responsible for the full cost of this coverage. The premium rates <br />will not increase for 2018 and will be guaranteed through December 31, 2020. <br />25E-2 <br />