Luzerne County non-union workers must pay more toward health insurance

Starting this month, contributions toward health insurance will rise from 10% to 11% for more than 300 Luzerne County government non-union workers.

County Manager Romilda Crocamo included the increase in the 2024 budget, saying employee contributions are a “necessary step toward ensuring the sustainability and effectiveness of health care plans.”

Prior county commissioners had required non-union workers to start paying 10% toward their health insurance coverage two decades ago to help control costs and set a target for gradually shifting union workers to the same percentage.

Through rounds of subsequent collective bargaining agreements, the unions now surpass non-union employees with contributions of 12% or 15%.

For the county’s Highmark HMO coverage, employees will pay the following amounts every two weeks at 11%, 12% and 15%, according to the human resources department:

• Single: $39.08/$42.63/$53.29

• Employee/spouse: $109.42/$119.37/$149.21

• Employee/child: $78.16/$85.26/$106.58

• Employee/children: $97.70/$106.58/$133.22

• Family: $121.15/$132.16/$165.20

The increase in non-union employee health insurance contributions will bring in an additional $50,000 in 2024, the administration has said.

Non-union workers without dependents will pay an additional $3.55 every two weeks due to the increase, while the payment will be $11 more per pay period for those with family coverage.

The cost difference in other groups: employee/spouse, $9.95; employee/child, $7.11; and employee/children, $8.88.

This plan has an in-network deductible of $500 for individuals and $1,000 for families, according to county records. Other rates apply for the county’s Highmark PPO option.

The county is self-insured, which means it pays its own medical bills but relies on outside insurers to provide a network of doctors and treatment at negotiated rates, officials said. Special “stop-loss” insurance covers the cost of individual claims over a set amount if employees must undergo expensive treatment.

Overall, the county budgeted $20.869 million for health care expenses in 2024, which is a $19,000 increase compared to 2023. On the revenue side, the budget anticipates $9.285 million in reimbursements and employee payments to help offset costs.

Union payments

The county has 10 collective bargaining agreements and three memorandums of understanding that are equivalent to union contracts.

The union conversion to 12% contributions was completed in 2022, when unionized prison workers hired before 2020 switched from 10% to 12% contributions.

Those now paying 15%, according to a review of union contracts:

• AFSCME Residual Union workers hired since 2014

• AFSCME Court-Related Union workers hired on or after May 1, 2013

• Teamster Local 401-represented employees in Children and Youth, Mental Health/Developmental Services and the Area Agency on Aging hired after March 26, 2018

• LIUNA Local 1310-represented prison workers hired since 2020

• Court-Appointed Professional workers (probation/domestic relations officers) hired since 2020

• Assistant district attorneys/public defenders represented by Teamsters

• AFSCME Court-Appointed Support Workers hired since 2016

• First-level supervisory Children and Youth, Mental Health and the Aging Agency workers represented by Teamsters who were hired since 2017

Also, county detectives increase to 15% contributions in 2024.