Hutchinson School Officials say the Affordable Care Act will bring significant changes to USD 308 health insurance when the new benefit year for the district starts on Oct. 1, 2014.
They will have meetings on Oct. 29, Nov. 5 and Nov. 19. Each meeting will begin at 6 p-m. in the Professional Learning Center on the Hutchinson High School campus. The Professional Learning Center is located in the old Hutch High auditorium at 1401 North Severance.
The meetings will provide staff and patrons a rare opportunity – not typically seen in the private or public sector — to provide ground-floor input into health insurance coverage for the district, said Lori Blakesley, executive director of fiscal management and business operations for USD 308.
The meetings are open to any district patron or staff member.
Below is a summary of what will happen at each meeting.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Professional Learning Center at HHS
Affordable Care Act requirements and financial impact to the District
Explanation of insurance terms (Insurance 101), review of what plans the District currently has and how the rates are determined
Tuesday, November 5, 2013: 6 to 8 p.m. Professional Learning Center at HHS
Gain input on philosophical issues including:
up-front benefits
premium cost control
deductible cost control
cost of family plans
Tuesday, November 19, 2013: 6 to 8 p.m. Professional Learning Center at HHS
Sharing of plan options that best align with the philosophical beliefs of the staff/community and within the cost constraints of the District’s budget.
The Nov. 19 meeting will be used to share what each plan could look like and what it could hypothetically cost. For each plan, the district will have to show how it could affect the budget in Fiscal Year 2014-15, which begins July 1, 2014. The health insurance plan year for the district runs Oct. 1, 2014 to Sept. 30, 2015.
This information will be shared with the district’s Benefit Committee for determination at their meetings and for final recommendations to the Board of Education later this school year.