The Stoddard County Commission held a special meeting Wednesday afternoon to open bids from the final insurance brokers bidding on the new insurance plan for county employees.
Presiding Commissioner Danny Talkington said the first bid to be opened was from Arch Brokerage received on October 6 at 8:54 a.m. for a Health EZ Pan American plan. Arch Brokerage offered a fixed amount per employee of $349.45 and for employee and spouse or family $1247.90. The total yearly cost for the county is $721,378.80.
The second was from Mitchell Insurance received on October 11 at 8:58 a.m. Talkington said Mitchell Insurance offered a D2E Three Tier Plan Design at a yearly cost $707, 566 with a max $788,650. Mitchell Insurance's coalition is Renovere Health Coalition. Mitchell's stop/loss is QBE Insurance Corporation. Mitchell also had a section on Colonial Life in its bid packet.
The third was from Billington Insurance received at October 11 at 9:32 a.m. Billington had a stop/loss at $32,500 with an option to raise to $35,000. Billington had a yearly cost of $749,112.32.
The fourth was Mutual Medical received October 11 at 11:56 a.m. Mutual Medical presented three options. Option 1 was Symetra $701,528, option 2 Pan American Life was $754,089 and Berkshire Hathaway Life Insurance Co. $687,091.
The fifth bid was from County Wide Insurance received October at 3:49 p.m. County Wide offered a Saint Francis Health plan. All hospitals are in network on a Tier 1 level within a 12 county region. The plan had a $25,000 stop/loss. The annual cost to the county for the base plan is is $677,306.
The commission will work through the bids in work sessions to be held over the next week and a half. During the work session the commission will ask questions of each insurance broker bidding. The insurance companies bidding will make a presentation to the commission during these work sessions. The commission must make a final decision by October 24.