Travis County Commissioners Court
February 6, 2007
Item 15
15 is to consider and take appropriate action on awarding of con of--contract to frost insurance. Frost insurance to review of the county's group benefits plan. Group benefits plan.
>> judge. Commissioners am the request before you is for review of the group benefits plan. We have been self-insured for about seven years and had this represents the the first complete comprehensive review of that program. Travis County offers employee health benefit as well as a variety of other benefits that we would like to have reviewed to assure that we are still offering the best benefits at the best price for employees. We vo would expect the outcome of the review to help provide information for the planning and add adjusting of short and long-term strategies that we can bring before the Commissioners court to ensure that our benefit package is still state of the art and the best we can provide for the cost. The information contained in the attachment to your backup is the detail outline of what that review would encompass. I believe that the in two phases, and also broken out in the backup. The staff recommendation is to award contract to frost insurance to perform the review. The individuals who would be assigned to this program have extensive experience in group benefits and we feel that their experience is directly related to the type of review that we are looking for.
>> does purchasing have any issues with this this this.
>> no, sir, as far as I know.
>> okay. Where does employee benefit stand on this emaration ?
>> actually the committee is recommending this review. We started out looking with one two options. The recommendation was a complete review be done before any enhancements or options were considered so we know where we stand and so we are in support of the review.
>> what's the source of funding ?
>> it's from the health fund fund. It's budgeted in the health fund.
>> healthcare fund.
>> questions ?
>> judge, I have one comment comment. The executive manager for the operations. In talking with ppl, they wanted to add a task to the contract, and that is, I guess two s. One to--two tasks. One is to review the benefits pull time and part time in comparison to other entities. We provide to part time employees full benefits. 24 wanted to see if that was the norm. The second is to look at the reserves.
>> for comparison.
>> yeah, self funded.
>> and we have some information as far as actuary, working on that question, what is adequate reserve for a a fund such as ours.
>> that was our two main comments. With that we are happy with the study.
>> perhaps we'll be able to include those two areas in the study ?
>> I think it's written broadly enough that they can do that.
>> what are the results, Commissioner ?
>> no, no, go ahead.
>> when we will know the results of this initiative? Are you going to do your study, blah blah blah blah blah, hopefully we will have something back prior to budget. When are they supposed to come back are the results ?
>> the study will begin the date the contract is awarded and it will be eight weeks from that date. That's the two phases that I mentioned.
>> phase one and phase two. All right. Eight weeks, if the court approves it today, eight weeks from today. Is that what we are saying ?
>> yes, sir.
>> I was wondering about that because of the budget cycle. Okay.
>> will it change the 20,000 the two lump sums of $20,000 for a total $40,000 contract to include those two items ?
>> I don't believe so but the two representatives from frost insurance are here. We can ask them. Apparently not.
>> no change. You all want to put your names on the record? They are.
>> you want to come on up and sit down ?
>> we know who they are, right? They are representatives from frost.
>> yes, kevin brown and mark o' leary.
>> okay.
>> so the question was.
>> Travis County planning and budget office. The two things we would like to add to the study in the process of your analysis is also to include breakdown between fulltime and part time employee benefits. Currently in Travis County part time employees receive full health benefit. Whee want to see if that's the norm. We would like the state to compare analysis of reserve levels, what theirs are only paired to ours, and economic analysis about what the appropriate level of the reserve should be guyen in each of our programs.
>> yes, we'll include that in the analysis.
>> okay.
>> thank you.
>> move approval.
>> second.
>> discussion of the motion? All in favor. That passes by unanimous vote. Thank you all very much.
>> thank you
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Last Modified:
Wednesday, February 7, 2007 8:20 AM