County can't trim health benefits (by court order)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/article/20091228/NEWS01/712289933

By Chip Olsen
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

A state labor court has ordered Douglas County to pull back on part of a plan to restructure health insurance benefits for employees and retirees, a ruling that county officials estimate will cost more than $2 million.

The Nebraska Commission of Industrial Relations has issued an order halting any health benefit changes for 1,000 union employees. Those benefit changes, scheduled to take effect in January, will remain in place for about 1,300 other employees and retirees.

The changes to the county's self-funded health insurance plan were approved by the County Board in September.

They were designed to save the county about $4 million in health insurance costs by raising the amount that employees and retirees pay for deductibles, co-payments and prescription drugs. The new health plan also slightly increases monthly premiums for current employees and substantially increases premiums for retirees.
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However, Teamsters Union Local 554 challenged the county's authority to unilaterally make changes to health benefits without first negotiating with the union, said union attorney M.H. Weinberg.

The state labor court sided with the union last month, issuing a status-quo order.

FULL story at link.