Port Schools Save $920,000 With Insurance Swap from WEA Trust

The will save about $920,000 next year after the board approved changes to its health insurance provider.

The School Board voted to end its "long relationship" with Wisconsin Education Association Trust and instead contract with Humana, according to an article on the Ozaukee Press. The new plan increases employee deductibles for singles from $100 to $500 and for families from $200 to $1,000; it also adds a co-pay of $20 for office visits, and co-pays for urgent care and emergency visits are increased.

While the savings are great to Port schools, the decision is yet another hit suffered by WEA Trust. 

In early April, — for a $537,000 savings — and switched to a one-year contract with Wisconsin Counties Association Group Health Trust. Menomonee Falls School District also saved $1.2 million by . Cedarburg's school district also just switched from WEA.

As of late April, estimates suggest that WEA Trust has lost $70 million in revenue from such insurance swaps statewide, according to an article on WisconsinRapidsTribune.com. The mass amounts of districts changing providers has been a trend since the passage of Act 10, which Gov. Scott Walker signed into law last year. The legislation eliminates many collective bargaining rights, allowing school boards more freedom in choosing health care providers — among other changes.

While this seems like a slow death for WEA Trust, company officials have said they are confident in their business plan, which now includes targeting municipalities and other markets they didn't serve before, according to the WisconsinRapidsTribune.com.

Plus, some school districts may even opt to switch from their current providers to WEA Trust — , though no decision has yet to be made.

What do you think about the changes to the health care providers? Tell us in the comments.

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