By Gary Nelson / gnelson@crossville-chronicle.com
Commissioners on the budget committee approved having an estimate on health insurance for county employees bid out to determine if a cheaper plan is within possibility.
The committee asked Tonya Hinch of Don Hinch and Associates to look at the figures to help put together a cost estimate for the county plan.
"We've been stymied by the state for the past few years because the state plan won't allow the information on the employees to be released due to HIPPA laws," County Finance Director Nathan Brock said.
Hinch said that she would have to obtain a health insurance application on each county employee in order to get an estimate on the plan.
She said once all of the applications are turned in from the county employees they would be handled with strict privacy. She would take the current system of employees and pool them together and bid the entire group out to 12 different insurance companies.
"I'm confident we will be able to come up with some savings for the county and a chance for the employees to get a lower insurance rate," Hinch said.
Mike Harvel, 7th District commissioner, motioned to have Hinch bid the package out and Jim Inman, 1st District, supported. It was unanimously approved.
The bid package includes employees of the county only and not the school system.
Hinch will report back to the county once the bids from the companies come back.
