The last two days at the office have been busy. I have been responding to e-mails, many about the upcoming election. In addition, I have been reading and posting on Facebook several articles related to education. I planned, rescheduled, and prepared for the next JEA Executive Board Meeting. I had a working lunch with other local presidents. It is good to meet and talk with them about how their Districts and Associations are working together on issues similar to the ones we face.
I attended the Insurance Committee meeting yesterday. The new healthcare law, called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, will take effect for Jordan District in the next plan year, 2011-2012. The law states that companies must comply in the first plan renewal AFTER September 23, 2010. Our first plan renewal after that date will be September 1, 2011. As written currently, the new law will cost our plan about $900,000. That is about a 2.5% increase in costs. The cost will likely be greater than that when all children, dependent or not, single or married, can be added to our plan next year. Many doctors may start to suggest more "preventive" benefits that must be covered at 100% next year. That will sound like "free" to the patient, but our self-insured plan will pay for it, which means premiums could increase if these "free" benefits are overused. Our plan is good as far as reforms go. We will not have to add as many things to our plan in order to comply as compared to other companies. I am interested to see where this new law takes our insurance plan.
Don't forget the Meet the Candidates Night tonight. See the Meet the Candidates Night blog post for more information.
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