By: RAYMOND PARTSCH III
Managing Editor
The Evangeline Parish Police Jury has negotiated a new insurance agreement for its employees.
The jury held a special meeting on March 10 to discuss the Group Health Insurance renewal. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana had originally submitted a quote to the jury that included a 4.3 percent rate increase to the jury’s current plan.
At the jury’s regular monthly meeting on March 7, Secretary-Treasurer Donald Bergeron and President Ryan Ardoin both requested that Blue Cross Blue Shield renegotiate a lower rate increase.
The new quote submitted to the jury had a renewal increase of only 2 percent to the current plan. Juror Bryan Vidrine made the motion to accept the plan, which Juror Lamar Johnson seconded. The motion carried.
“We are very happy to stay with the same insurance,” Bergeron said. “Based on the amount of health claims, or lack thereof, the lower rate was more in line with what our rate should be.”
Bergeron added that the lower rate means parish tax payers also saved money.
“By holding out for a better rate we saved our tax payers $17,616 per year,” Bergeron said.
The Police Jury currently has 68 employees.