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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: March 19, 2019 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 6-c <br /> SUBJECT: Recommendations for Employee Health Insurance and Other Benefits <br /> DEPARTMENT: Human Resources <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> 1. Breakdown of County and Brenda Bartholomew, Human Resources <br /> Employee Contribution for Health Director, (919) 245-2552 <br /> and Dental Coverage <br /> PURPOSE: To approve the Manager's recommendations regarding employee health and <br /> dental insurance and other employee benefits effective July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020. <br /> The Manager is recommending no increase in appropriations for the FY2019/2020 Health and <br /> Dental budget and is also recommending that the County continue to participate as a member of <br /> the North Carolina Health Insurance Pool (NCHIP). <br /> BACKGROUND: The County provides employees with a comprehensive benefits plan, <br /> including health, dental and life insurance, an employee assistance program, flexible <br /> compensation plan and paid leave for permanent employees. Additionally, the County <br /> contributes to the Local Governmental Employee's Retirement System and a supplemental <br /> retirement plan. <br /> The County has been self-funded since January 1, 2014 for medical and pharmacy plans and <br /> continues to be self-insured for the dental plan. The County also transitioned from a twelve- <br /> month calendar plan year to a twelve-month fiscal plan year in 2015 aligning with the County's <br /> fiscal year. In February 2015, the Board of County Commissioners approved Gallagher Benefit <br /> Services (GBS) as Broker of Record for the administration of the benefit programs, which <br /> include health, dental, vision, and other voluntary programs for employees and retirees. <br /> In FY2016/2017, the Board of County Commissioners approved the County Manager's <br /> recommendation to continue with UnitedHealth Care (UHC) as the County's Third Party <br /> Administrator for health insurance programs and granted authority to the County Manager to <br /> renew the Third Party Administrator contract with UnitedHealth Care. UnitedHealth Care also <br /> provided $25,000 for wellness programs. <br />