Elk Ridge trims health benefits

ELK RIDGE — The four city employees who receive health benefits will be paying more out of pocket, but Elk Ridge will continue to pay the entire monthly premium.

Under the new plan, the city will pay more than $36,000 annually, down about $2,000. Had the City Council simply renewed the existing plan, the monthly premiums would have gone up some $7,100 for the year, Councilman Nelson Abbott said. But to get the premium down, the council had to reduce the benefits.

Workers must dip into their own pockets to meet the higher deductible, which doubled to as much as $2,000 for the family plan. Benefits were reduced with employees now paying 30 percent of their medical bills rather than 20 percent.

"If we're serious about cutting, this is the way to go," Councilman Raymond Brown said.

The City Council doesn't participate in the medical plan, though Mayor Dennis Dunn is on the dental plan with the premium deducted from his salary.

— Rodger L. Hardy