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b. Amendment to the Orange County Personnel Ordinance Article IV, Section <br /> 28-36, Health Insurance <br /> The Board considered approving an amendment to the Orange County Personnel <br /> Ordinance Article IV, Section 28-36, Health Insurance regarding retiree health coverage for <br /> employees hired on or after July 1, 2012. <br /> Interim Human Services Director Sharon Laisure went through the changes that would <br /> occur as a result of this amendment: <br /> - Increase the eligibility requirement from a total of ten year Orange County service to <br /> twenty continuous years of Orange County service for a retiree under age 65 retiring <br /> with a service retirement; <br /> - Increase the eligibility requirement from a total of five years Orange County service <br /> to ten continuous years of Orange County service for a retiree age 65 or older OR <br /> an employee retiring with a disability retirement; <br /> - Reduce the cap on the amount the County will pay for post-65 benefits to 50% of the <br /> amount paid for active employees' health insurance (compared to the current 100%); <br /> and <br /> - Require any retiree eligible for Medicare due to disability or age to enroll in Medicare <br /> Parts A and B and end enrollment in the County's group health insurance. <br /> This will affect all employees hired on or after July 1st, 2012. <br /> Commissioner Yuhasz asked about the "continuous service" and Frank Clifton said that <br /> they found under the older program that people would work then leave and then come back to <br /> retire in order to get the retirement health benefits. He said that this is a retention benefit. <br /> Commissioner Yuhasz said that the 20-year period is long enough that would warrant <br /> this particular benefit. Commissioner Jacobs agreed. <br /> Commissioner Foushee suggested seeing what happens in the market for other local <br /> governments. <br /> Frank Clifton said that Orange County has one of the best benefit packages. He will do <br /> further research if the Board wants. <br /> Commissioner Hernminger agreed with Commissioner Yuhasz and Commissioner <br /> Jacobs, however, she is not comfortable with continuous at this point and she would like to see <br /> more information. <br /> Commissioner McKee said that he would like to see more information on what other <br /> local governments are doing or have done. <br /> Commissioner Gordon agreed with the continuous function and she said that staff could <br /> review it if the Board wants. <br /> A motion was made by Commissioner McKee seconded by Commissioner Foushee to <br /> approve an amendment to the Orange County Personnel Ordinance Article IV, Section 28-36, <br /> Health Insurance regarding retiree health coverage for employees hired on or after July 1, 2012 <br /> and ask for additional information on other counties'actions. <br /> VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> Commissioner Jacobs said that he would like to see the breakdown of pay grade in the <br /> motion and Commissioner McKee agreed. <br /> Commissioner Foushee said that the County Commissioners did talk in the work session <br /> that employees are to be informed during the entire health insurance discussion process <br /> whether the County renews or not with United Health Care (UHC) and she too has received <br /> numerous complaints from employees about UHC. She said that employees did not feel that <br /> they got what they thought they were going to get in healthcare. She hopes that whatever is <br />