April 5 - Town of Falmouth

system is not sustainable. And I think if we’re going to avoid being shoved
into the state system, which has much less benefits and doesn’t work as
good on the Cape, that we darn well better come up with some programs
that have a modernized structure that preserve the quality that we’re
looking for in our own labor market, in our own region. And I think that the
health group has really got a winner with the rate saver program because
by readjusting a lot of the co-payment structure it’s avoided the reduction
in the benefits and the adding of deductibles that the Group Insurance
Commission package has done.
Tinkham Reporting
(508) 759-9162
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And I think the other issue, you know, the first part of your
question and the last part of your question actually dovetail quite closely
because you started off discussing the issue of the, you know, what the
contribution level is and the percentages, and then you ended up talking
about these potential Cadillac programs and things of this nature, and one
of the things that we have been very successful here in Falmouth is being
able to establish a sliding scale that has one of the so-called Cadillac
programs that we still offer; it’s the old Master Health Plus, but it’s really
gone the way of the white elephant. It’s just the most expensive program.
It’s no longer even the best. The benefits aren’t as good as some of the
other programs that we offer. And the Town still does offer that program,
but we pay 50 percent of the premium for it. And if you get into the HMO
program, you get a higher percentage paid and that’s a good thing,