Hill County Commission to discuss county health insurance Thursday

Editor’s note: This version corrects information on the amount the county pays for employee health insurance.

The Hill County Commission announced during a county officials meeting earlier today, that they will be holding a discussion about county health insurance plans at their weekly business meeting Thursday morning at 10 a.m.

Hill County Commissioner Mark Peterson said they recently had a meeting with the Montana Association of Counties to review health insurance options and discuss costs and contributions.

He said the county pays $1,411 per month per employee and if the county covers recent increases in costs that will be an extra $177,744 from them.

"When I say that, it's really the taxpayers," he said.

Peterson said they want to eliminate one of the plans offered by the county so that they can improve coverage for employees with spouses, children and families.

Hill County Public Health Director Kim Berg said if they eliminate the plan she's thinking of it would save the county money, which they could then use to raise their contribution to the plans that remain.

Peterson said the cost savings of eliminating that plan would be for the employee, not the county, but Berg and Hill County Commissioner Sheri Williams said he was incorrect.

Williams and Peterson encouraged employees to come to the meeting to have their questions on the matter answered and their voices heard.

Peterson said they would have more discussions on the matter over the coming month.

See more in Thursday's online edition of Havre Daily News and in Friday's print edition.