NEW LEBANON–The Town Board looked at the new health insurance law’s options for town employees this week and decided to postpone a decision on which option to choose.
Information on health insurance through the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) available at the December 10 meeting covered the four options that the town could choose from in terms of coverage. The plans are called bronze, silver, gold, and platinum, with bronze being the cheapest, and platinum being the most expensive. The price varies based on extent of coverage, co-payments and the income of the policy holder, among other factors.
Faced with all the new choices, board members decided to the town would to keep its the current health insurance plan for town employees until the new healthcare law requires the town to change. The motion to retain the current plan also calls for the board to hold a meeting to discuss the best and most affordable health insurance plan for town workers. The board did not set a date for that meeting.
More information on health insurance options is available at the state’s Affordable Care Act health insurance marketplace website called nystateofhealth at https://nystateofhealth.ny.gov.
In other business the board:
•Discussed the fire protection services contract with the Lebanon Valley Protective Association. There will be no changes to the fire company’s $220,860 contract with the town in 2014.
•Heard that the 2014 EMS (emergency medical services) chargeback agreement with Columbia County will be settled in the new year following the adoption of the town’s annual budget for 2014 at the previous meeting.
•Heard that the deadline for bids for renovations to the town hall is Monday, December 16.
The annual budget and other information about the town are available at the town website, www.townofnewlebanon.com.
