Insurance costs rise for DuPage Co. workers

It's a good thing DuPage County's budget calls for a guaranteed 1.5 percent pay hike for all employees this year.

They're going to need it to cover increases to their health insurance premiums.

The county board approved next year's employee health benefits package Tuesday. On the low end, some workers would see a $120 increase for their share. However, other workers with family plans would see a $720 spike in their premium payments next year. That higher number represents 1.5 percent of the $48,000 average salary of county employees.

Some board members were concerned that employee raises would be negated and suggested the county cover the anticipated $450,000 increase in employee insurance costs.

"The county could at least this year pick up those costs," said board member Grant Eckhoff. "It's just an adjustment we'd have to make to the budget."

The current budget proposal calls for all employees to receive a 1.5 percent cost-of-living wage increase. On top of that, employees also would be eligible for merit raises, but some may not receive that pay. The budget has yet to be approved. The board's finance committee won't hold any budget hearings until after the election. The budget has to be approved before Nov. 30.

In addition to medical insurance premiums going up, the county's family dental plan is increasing by $10 a month.

Some board members were also upset that recommendations from a board insurance subcommittee weren't heeded by the finance committee. They argued that those recommendations could have saved the county money by going with a different broker.

Finance committee Chairman Patrick O'Shea said the recommendations came in too late and the county had to go with last year's broker to meet a timeline for picking insurance coverage.

"The broker issue isn't going to affect the premiums for our employees," O'Shea said. "We can adjust their premiums in the next month and that's what we should do."