Why proposed Kane County health insurance switch could rile employees

Kane County officials, who are already at odds with many of their 1,300 employees because of expired union contracts, took a big step Wednesday toward health insurance changes that may further rile public workers.

The county board's executive committee took a preliminary vote in favor of firing Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois as the county's health insurance provider. The county would then give a one-year contract to AETNA.

Bill Lenert, the county board member who has overseen the proposed switch, said sticking with Blue Cross would result in about $2 million of increased costs to the county and a more than 12 percent increase to employees on the county's plan.

"This change makes perfect financial sense," Lenert said. "There is no change in coverage. Employees don't lose any benefits and don't have to pay any more money."

Lenert has extensive experience in the health insurance business.

But several county board members said they've been flooded with calls and emails by county employees concerned with a loss of insurance quality and/or fears of not being able to keep their doctors. Those employees, county board member Susan Starrett said, have not come out publicly against the switch for fear of losing their jobs.

Starrett and Monica Silva were the only board members on the committee to vote against the switch. They are also the only board members on the committee who work in the medical field.

"Employees feel there will be retaliation if they come out against this," Starret said. "That's very said. But that is one of the issues we are going to have to deal with. Every once in a while, we have to make a sacrifice for our employees because they do that for us every day."

The county has $2 million in surplus funds from the 2017 budget that could help fund the insurance cost increase. But other board members, such as John Hoscheit, said that money is what the county has to fund employee raises that will likely result from union contract negotiations or arbitration. The county's probation officers and youth counselors went on strike Monday after rejecting the county's latest union contract offer.

"We have well-paid employees," Hoscheit said. "Their compensation is fair. But I'd like to see a poll of employees about whether they are interested in paying 12.3 percent more toward their insurance."

Hoscheit said AETNA's plan offerings represent an "apples-to-apples" transition in coverage from Blue Cross as far as he could tell.

The full county board will take a final vote next week. The plan switch would occur in June.