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Insurance
CCOGA Health Insurance RFP Requests
The South Central Service Cooperative City, County, and Other Governmental Agency (CCOGA) health insurance pool will be conducting a “Request-for-Proposals” (RFP) for the 2006 plan year. The RFP process insures pool compliance with the RFP law on behalf of all groups within the pool required by Minnesota Statute 471.6161. The RFP will be released in June 2005, reviewed in July 2005, and presented for a recommendation to the SCSC Board of Directors in July/August 2005.
Today SCSC provides all types of group insurance to over 75 school districts, cities, and counties. Over 16,000 members receive health insurance benefits in our Pool. Participant groups retain local control over plan design and eligibility, while benefiting from the pools low retention and stop loss rates, wellness program and balanced premium continuation. Finally, renewal rates are professionally negotiated and balanced, thereby keeping increases in check – the last round of renewals averaged rate increased in the single digits, several points below trend! It is our goal to provide you and your staff with the best possible products and services at the best possible price.
SCSC Closes the Door on HealthPartners Lawsuit, by Bill Moeller, Attorney at Blethen Gage & Krause PLLP
The lawsuit brought by HealthPartners against the South Central Service Cooperative is completely concluded. The lawsuit ended in such a way that SCSC did not have to pay any money. Additionally, the way in which the lawsuit ended totally vindicated the position taken by South Central.
The lawsuit began when HealthPartners sued South Central Service Cooperative alleging that the Coop had breached a contract with it. HealthPartners wanted its agreement with the Coop interpreted in such a way to allow HealthPartners to negotiate individually with all of the Coop members for each member’s health insurance. The South Central Service Cooperative’s Board of Directors entered into the agreement with HealthPartners for the sole purpose of allowing HealthPartners to submit health insurance bids to any new members joining the South Central Service Cooperative health insurance pool.
HealthPartners’ position was clearly contrary to the resolution that the Coop’s Board of Directors passed in entering into the contract with HealthPartners. HealthPartners’ position was also opposed by Blue Cross and Blue Shield who had an approved contract to insure the entire existing health insurance pool. Because of that, Blue Cross and Blue Shield entered the lawsuit to protect its contract rights to be the sole carrier for existing health insurance pool members. In so doing, Blue Cross and Blue Shield took the same position in this lawsuit that South Central Service Cooperative did.
Before the matter could go to trial and long before it was set to go to trial, the Judge in Nicollet County dismissed HealthPartners' lawsuit against the Coop saying HealthPartners had no legal basis to continue the lawsuit. Since this is exactly the position that Blue Cross and Blue Shield supported, there was nothing left of the lawsuit. As a result, the entire case was dismissed in a way that was a total vindication of the position taken by South Central Service Cooperative.
The South Central Service Cooperative is committed to providing programs that make a difference and improve the health and well-being of our members. Therefore, we are pleased to announce that effective, February 1, 2005, we will offer the BluePrint for Health® fitness discounts program through Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota to all benefit-eligible members.
The fitness discounts program rewards members for maintaining healthy behaviors. By encouraging a more physically active lifestyle we can improve health status and reduce health care costs.
Here are some important statistics:
Over 74% of adults fail to meet the recommended guidelines of exercising 30-minutes on most days
How the program works
Starting the week of January 24, 2005 members will receive a new member ID card with a fitness symbol to verify eligibility for the program at the fitness center to participate. Members interested in participating in the program will present their new member ID card to a participating fitness center to enroll in the program.
Members will receive a $20 monthly credit toward their fitness center dues when they work out eight days per month at a participating fitness center. A maximum of two qualifying adults per household, over age 18, are eligible to receive the credit.
The largest network in Minnesota
Through this program, there is access to over 350 fitness centers throughout the state of Minnesota. Members can find a location that is convenient by visiting www.bluecrossmn.com/mnservcoop and clicking on the link to myBlueCross.
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