(a) In addition to wages, all full-time employees of the City shall be eligible to participate in a group health care plan established by the City. Such group plan may be provided through a self-insured plan or an outside provider, or a combination thereof. The City shall offer a base plan through the insurance committee and may offer alternative plans. The terms, conditions and contribution rates, and all other aspects of any alternative plans so offered shall be at the sole and exclusive discretion of the City and may be subject to change. Cost containment measures may be adopted in the base plan by the City. Benefits shall accrue only to full-time employees of the City after each has been employed ninety days by the City.
(b) In addition to salaries, the Judge of the Municipal Court, his spouse and his dependents shall receive additional benefits in the form of major medical and hospitalization coverage.
(c) In addition to salaries, the Police Prosecutor, his spouse and his dependents shall receive additional benefits in the form of major medical and hospitalization coverage.
(d) In addition to salaries, the Referee of the Municipal Court, his spouse and his dependents shall receive additional benefits in the form of major medical and hospitalization coverage.
(e) In addition to salaries, the Assistant Attorney, his spouse and his dependents shall receive additional benefits in the form of major medical and hospitalization coverage.
(f) Insurance Committee.
(1) A Citywide Health Care Cost Containment Committee has been established consisting of five (5) members. Three (3) of such members shall be union representatives, one (1) from each of the City’s three (3) bargaining units. These members shall be selected at the sole discretion of each bargaining unit to represent their respective units. The remaining two (2) members of this committee shall consist of the City Manager and the Finance Director and their designees.
(2) This committee, called the Citywide Health Care Cost Containment Committee, hereinafter referred to as the Committee, shall meet at least four (4) times a year. The City Manager shall serve as its Chairperson. The Committee shall, at its first meeting, establish rules and regulations for its governance. However, these rules and regulations shall provide that each of the five (5) members shall have one vote and, that a majority vote will be controlling. These rules and regulations may include provisions for providing for the substitution of an alternate representative for any such member who may be unable to attend. Finally, these rules and regulations will provide each representative the opportunity to use any advisory or consultant it deems necessary.
(3) The Committee will investigate methods to contain the overall cost of health care. These methods may include, but may not be limited to, reduction of benefits, scope of coverage, changes in manner of administration (managed care). The final determination as to the method utilized to contain the overall cost of health care shall be vested to and the sole responsibility of the Committee; however, under no circumstances shall the committee be empowered to elect a benefit structure that subjects the City to fines, penalties, or is otherwise not in compliance with the Affordable Care Act or any other federal legislation setting forth legal mandates for the provision of health insurance.
(4) In the event that the overall cost of health care increases from the initial base year, or any subsequent base year, such increase, on a per employee, per month basis, shall be shared between the City and the employee on a 75-25% basis, respectively. However, in no event shall the employee share increase more than fifty dollars ($50.00) per month per year during the term of this agreement. In the event that the total costs for the plan on a monthly basis are below the base amounts set forth above, the costs shall be prorated back to the Employer and the employee on a 75/25% basis up to the original base contribution amount for each party.
(Ord. 2018-17. Passed 3-13-18.)