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UPDATE: Health Insurance Changing For Huntington Workers Save Email Print
Posted: 11:27 AM Jun 11, 2008
Last Updated: 11:05 PM Jun 11, 2008
Reporter: Dave Benton
Email Address: dave.benton@wsaz.com

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Union workers in the city of Huntington will see changes to their health insurance starting July 1. Both premiums and deductibles are more expensive, but there are ways they can offset the increase.

“One could look at it as a pay cut, one we're all taking I'll have to deal with,” Huntington Mayor David Felinton said.

Felinton announced the new insurance plan for the city's union workers Wednesday afternoon. The mayor said the city can no longer afford the current health care plan.

Currently, a single employee's premium is $12 a month. Under the new plan he or she will pay $73.

For a family that currently pays $25, that will increase to $153, but city employees can offset that increase by taking better care of themselves. Mayor Felinton says quit smoking or take advantage of reduced rates available now for city employees at the YMCA.

Felinton says the city will also have health education opportunities throughout the year.

City councilman Jim Ritter says he'd like to see other plans discussed.

“It's like a pay cut,” Ritter said. “Larger with deductibility. Look at others and see what they offer.”

Felinton says there is a $1,000 reimbursement plan for types of care the plan doesn't offer that doubles for family plans, and there's a cash bonus of $1,250 if employees opt out of the plan. That number also doubles for those on family plans.

A police officer who didn't want his name used says the department has known about this plan for two months and has discussed it many times. He says the fraternal order of police will probably have their own press conference soon to state their concerns.

Original Story
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Union workers in the City of Huntington will see changes to their health insurance starting July 1 -- regardless of whether they agree to a new contract.

In a memo to the unions on Tuesday, Mayor David Felinton says the city can no longer afford the current health care plan, and the city will implement a new plan on that date.

The mayor is currently in contract negotiations with the city's three unions. That contact is scheduled to expire June 30. The mayor says all other economic benefits and conditions of the current contract will continue after the end of the month if a new agreement is not reached.

The mayor also told the unions in the memo there is no money for pay raises

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Posted by: Anonymous on Jun 12, 2008 at 02:38 PM
As we can see, everyone has their opinion and no one knows the facts unless you are in these peoples shoes. I agree, $25 month for premiums is a bargain but $153.00 for medical coverage only-no dental or other coverage--the deductible alone is enough to break some of these people. I see meter maid jobs in the paper all the time for the city--apply for one of those positions and see how much $ you will be making........know the facts before being so judgemental.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jun 12, 2008 at 01:28 PM
City Employees making minimum wage.? They are not. I know a secretary that makes 34,000 a year at the City Of Huntington. I've been a secretary for 8 years at one company and make 7.12 per hour. I'll work for the City Of Huntington any day.

Posted by: Reader on Jun 12, 2008 at 12:34 PM
Um....I think Felinton was against the pay raise. From this web site: Huntington Mayor David Felinton says now is not the time to raise his salary by nearly $28,000.The two-term mayor says he plans to veto any council-approved raise because the city of about 49,000 residents has other higher-priority needs. He also says it sends the wrong message to city workers and residents.City Council is expected to discuss the idea of boosting the mayor's $62,272-a-year salary to $90,000 by 2011 on Monday. Proponents say the higher salary could help attract more candidates to the position.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jun 12, 2008 at 11:18 AM
BIG DEAL!!! CITY EMPLOYESS STILL PAY LESS THAN MOST DUE FOR INSURANCE. THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT WORK FULL TIME AND STILL CAN NOT AFFORD TO HAVE INSURANCE. WHAT ARE THEY COMPLAINING ABOUT!!!!!

Posted by: Anonymous on Jun 12, 2008 at 09:25 AM
My husband pays 397.50 for our family plan per month. I'll trade you. And it's just he and I on the insurance. Mayor Felinton is doing a great job and by the way he isn't the one wanting the raise it's council trying to give him the raise. It's just a plot to make him look bad when it comes to election day. Stand your ground, God Bless you Mayor Felinton.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jun 12, 2008 at 09:12 AM
It is funny that I thought I had been "living in the real world". Isee my husband come home everyday exhausted from his "free ride" working for the city. It is bad enough that they have to work for close to minimum wage with no hope of a 1 or 2% pay raise, but now we cannot go to the doctor because our deductible is $1500----tell me how a family with bills and a baby to feed is going to pay the increased premium and such a huge deductible. I work for a national company and our premiums are somewhat higher but we have a reasonable deductible of $250. I am sure "looters" deductible is in that range and not $1500.00. I think the city council and other city personnel are crooked and many illegal practices go on right in front of our faces and no one chooses to do anything about it. I think Felinton and "set in their ways" council members need to go.

Posted by: Anon on Jun 12, 2008 at 06:10 AM
Well Mr. Felington you must be tired of being the Mayor and collecting your wages for nothing. You just voted yourself out of office. These are the people who voted you in office.

Posted by: David on Jun 12, 2008 at 02:04 AM
Yes its about time the employees paid their own share of the insurance. My wife works for Marshall University Medical School and our plan for a family of 4 is nearly 400 a month. And plus it goes up each year. I say GOOD for the Mayor. Only thing more crazy than this is the school teachers griping each year for a pay raise....

Posted by: Lumpy Felinton on Jun 11, 2008 at 07:32 PM
That's right folks... no money for raises for the city workers. There is however, enough for me, your mayor. And before you all start complaining, you try living on $70,000.00 a year with a city vehicle and gas card. I'm wasting away to nothing. Just look at me in a suit today and compare it to four years ago. Sorry but Big Papa's gotta eat.

Posted by: Janice on Jun 11, 2008 at 05:47 PM
I am sorry but this new plan for health insurance for city workers does not go far enough. When we were working we had to pay far more than that for $4500 Deductible. Now we are on Medicare and pay twice that much for a suplimental plan. We have no dental plan and pay extra for medicine with medicare.

Posted by: cindy on Jun 11, 2008 at 04:12 PM
Did the Mayor get his raise? Try running the city with no fire and police dept.

Posted by: Dan on Jun 11, 2008 at 01:42 PM
I think Felinton needs to be investigated! Where is all the money from the user fee and city taxes going? The streets of Huntington are in the worst shape now than ever before, but the mayor insists there is no money for street repair. The mayor now insists there is no money for health insurance for our city union workers. The mayor also insists there is no money for a pay raise for our city union workers. Yet the mayor wants $28,000 dollar pay raise over the next 3 years. If the mayor won't negotiate then I say strike union workers, I'll back you! Mayor David Felinton is a "JOKE". I think his time is up come November 08.

Posted by: Sick of the Looters on Jun 11, 2008 at 12:18 PM
I just bet that the workers will stand up and scream! Unfair, Terrible, the Mayor is getting rich and we have to pay for health care. Well, boo hoo hoo. Welcome to the real world. The world where we have to pay for what we receive. No more free rides. The rest of us have to pay a much larger portion of our health care for ourselves and our families. There is no reason why they can pay a lagrer portion of their own as well. Just don't complain...and welcome to the real world.

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