With the district looking to get the best bang for its buck, school officials approved a two-year, $72,000 contract Tuesday with a health insurance consultant to examine health care options for employees.
After Superintendent Blane McCann and Business Manager Mark Boehlke interviewed with a few consultants, they recommended the district contract with Illinois-based consulting firm, The Horton Group, which the School Board approved unanimously.
Over a two-year period, Horton will analyze the district’s current plan; educate officials on health care plan design, major cost drivers, benchmarking and long-term planning; meet with district employees to discuss what is important to them; negotiate with different insurance carriers and ultimately recommend a plan to the School Board. The contract starts Jan. 1.
The consultant says it would prepare requests for proposals to release to insurance carriers by July 1.
Boehlke said at a previous meeting, the district would really benefit from having a consultant help them navigate the health insurance market.
"We know we can save money,” Board President Paul Zovic said.