Agenda - 10-03-2005-5h - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: October 3, 2005 Action Agend Item No. _ SUBJECT: Employee Dental Insurance for 2006 DEPARTMENT: Personnel PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): Draft Monthly Dental Insurance Rates INFORMATION CONTACT: Elaine Holmes, Personnel Director (919) 245-2550 Michael Edmonds, Benefits Manager (919)245-2558 PURPOSE: To consider an increase in employee dental insurance rates effective January 1, 2006. BACKGROUND: The County's employee dental insurance program is aself-insured plan. Delta Dental is the plan administrator, As part of the annual plan evaluation process, the Personnel Department, in conjunction with Delta Dental, evaluates plan casts and projected plan revenue. After analysis of Orange County dental claims costs, and consulting with Delta Dental regarding administrative costs, staff recommends a 14 percent increase in dental insurance rates for the 2006 calendar year effective January 1, 2006. This includes an 11 percent increase in the Delta Dental Plan administrative fee from $1.82 per employee per month to $2.02. The recommended rate increase represents about a $16,000 increase in County cast for 2005- 06 for the approximately 830 positions covered in the dental insurance group. Funds are available within the approved dental insurance budget for fiscal year 2005-06. Over the past 10 years the County has increased dental rates in 2000, and 2001. The last increase prior to that was in 1994. 2006 Dental Insurance Rates The recommended 14 percent rate increase arises from several factors including increases in dental insurance costs, updates to the table of allowances for dental procedures during the 2005 plan year to maintain benefits in line with market rates, increased use of the plan, and the fact that plan reserves are no longer available to offset increases. In the past, the County has been able to use plan reserves accumulated in earlier years to offset cost increases. Those reserves now have been drawn down to the point a rate increase is necessary. To maintain the self-insurance fund, it is necessary to implement the rate increase proposed.