Pending school board vote, why Blue Cross is out as Springfield D186 health care provider – The State Journal-Register
Blue Cross Blue Shield is out of the picture as Springfield School District 186’s health care provider.
At the recommendation of the district’s insurance committee, the board of education Monday approved Cigna as its carrier.
A final vote addressing specific premiums will come at the board’s April 18 meeting.
A big problem that existed with the district was that when Blue Cross Blue Shield and Springfield Clinic parted ways, said Subdistrict 7 board member Bill Ringer, a lot of employees who were using Springfield Clinic physicians were going to be considered “out of network.”
Employees would then face higher out-of-pocket costs.
See also: Bust of Lincoln that was once part of the family’s home now on display at ALPLM
“That was a lot of what came behind going out and looking at this point in time,” Ringer said. “There were several companies that submitted proposals. It was whittled down to three and three did presentations to (the insurance) committee.”
Cigna, said Subdistrict 2 representative Micah Miller, “just jumped off the page as having the strongest relationship with Springfield Clinic.”
Miller said the district’s longtime relationship with Blue Cross “prevented a lot of other carriers from entering this market, so they’re looking at this opportunity to put their best foot forward, which it sounds like they are.”
Ringer said that part of Cigna’s proposal included having a person dedicated to the district, either on-site or working remotely.
“I think Cigna is going to do a great job,” Ringer added. “I think they’re going to help transition everything (over). They’re going to have people look at all the formularies to help things match up.”
Eight different companies made proposals for self-funded and fully-insured health insurance for the 1,800 teachers and other professionals, said Tom Osborne, the district’s director of business services.
A self-funding health plan involves paying the health claims of the employees and others on the plans as they occur, Osborne said.
Blue Cross expected to pay out $22 million in claims for FY21-22, he said. It estimated a 7.77% increase in payouts for FY22-23, Osborne added.
Cigna estimated paying out $23.4 million, a hike of 6.38% for FY 22-23.
Osborne said UMR UnitedHealthcare and Aetna were the other companies the insurance committee considered.
“They’re trying to figure out how to do things as seamless as possible,” Ringer said of Cigna. “Because these companies had been trying to break into this market, they were more willing to offer a few more concessions and discounts and some continuing things.”
New subdistrict maps
The school board now has a third draft of a map to consider for the reapportionment.
The maps were drawn by the Springfield-Sangamon County Regional Planning Commission and the board will take a vote April 18 on which draft to adopt.
The latest draft, said Molly Berns, the commission’s executive director, follows more familiar lines in the city, like major thoroughfares and train tracks.
“It’s more compact and contiguous (than the other two drafts),” Berns said.
One of the desires of the board, and from a planning standpoint, was to try to keep neighborhoods together “as much as possible,” Berns said. “The last thing you want is a subdivision where you’re in two Subdistricts.”
Board members got a look at the other two drafts two weeks ago.
The redrawing is based on 2020 census figures. All seven board seats will be up for election in 2023.
Groundbreaking for Lanphier
A groundbreaking ceremony for Lanphier High School’s $93.2 million overhaul has tentatively been scheduled for 1:30 p.m. April 14.
Related: A new look at Lanphier High School. ‘It’s going to be the pride of the north end’
The project, part of Our Schools Our Future, also includes a major renovation of neighboring Memorial Stadium.
The district is trying to schedule a number of open houses that will give Lanphier alumni a chance to get a look at architect’s renderings and “relive some memories of where their lockers used to be,” said Superintendent Jennifer Gill.
“We want to keep all the Lion spirit there and all the pride that school has had and we’ll make sure we’re honoring the work of the past in our new construction for the future.”
Information will be forthcoming on the open house dates.
Public hearing Wednesday
The second of three public hearings planned by the district to discuss consolidation of three elementary schools and construct a new school building will be held at Southern View Elementary, 3338 S. Fifth St., at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
A master plan from 2017 called for the consolidation of Hazel Dell and Laketown. Southern View entered the discussion, Gill said, within the last calendar year.
All three schools have “structural deficiencies” that have to be addressed, she added.
An eight-page guideline released recently identifies a 13.2-acre property on 11th Street as having “the highest potential for a new school facility.”
Southern View falls within school boundaries of the site, the former corporate headquarters of H.D. Smith, a former pharmaceutical wholesaler.
The meeting at Southern View is followed by a meeting at Laketown, 1825 Lee St., scheduled for 6 p.m. April 12.
Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788, sspearie@sj-r.com, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.
