'This will be a bumpy ride': Will health coverage for county employees be available by Jan. 1?

Despite concerns that some county employees could be left without coverage, county commissioners called on staff to finalize a five-year contract with its new health care insurer, United Healthcare.

County staff had wanted Cigna, the current provider, be given a one-year extension and the contract with United Healthcare to begin Jan. 1, 2024. The issue, staff said, was timing. They raised concerns that there may not be enough time between now and Jan. 1 for United Healthcare to take over from Cigna without issues developing.

The commission, nonetheless, voted 6-1 to deny the staff request after receiving pledges from United Health Care Vice President Laurie Mandell that her firm would “devote all of the necessary resources” to ensure that a smooth transition occurs.

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Before the vote, Assistant County Administrator Reginald Duren urged that Cigna be given the one-year extension, noting that staff had already tentatively negotiated the terms of the extension.

“Nothing would be more disappointing to this board that come January, some members find that coverage they thought they had, they wind up not having,” said Duren.

A bid protest filed by Cigna had prevented the county from moving ahead with a United Healthcare contract. With the protest denied, the county can now legally sign a contract with United Healthcare.

County Mayor Robert Weinroth said giving Cigna an extension would amount to a reward for filing the bid protest.

Andrea Mackey, the county’s manager of group insurance, noted that “a change of this magnitude” so close to open enrollment will create issues, and said she is concerned that county employees may not have enough information to make decisions:

“The process needed to start weeks ago," she said. "This will be bumpy ride.”

Open enrollment is scheduled for Oct. 18 and the deadline for employees to make their health care choices is Dec. 8. Both dates may have to be extended.

Dwight Mattingly, the president of the union that represents workers at Palm Tran, is concerned there might be issues that could leave his members without health coverage.

Mandell said she understood staff’s trepidation about the timing issue but added United Healthcare would be disappointed to wait a year to provide what it knows will be a superior health care experience.

County Administrator Verdenia Baker said her staff will make “this happen,” adding: “We just wanted you to know this may not be a smooth process.”

Baker said the county will push United Healthcare to accept doctors that are currently part of the Cigna network.

CIGNA has provided coverage for the county for more than 15 years, but United Healthcare's proposal was found to be superior to that of Cigna’s by a county selection committee. Cigna’s bid protest was based on a claim that the committee inappropriately gave “local preference” bonus points to United Healthcare. The appeal was denied; Cigna is not pursuing any further appeals.

Neil Schiller, an attorney for Cigna, said county staff called on his client to negotiate the one-year extension.

“We did it in five hours. We do feel that there will be disruption to service for some employees if you make a change this late in the year,” he said.

Commissioner Dave Kerner was the only commissioner to vote for the Cigna extension but Maria Sachs also had concerns. Sachs asked staff if it could delay its request for a few weeks to allow her to further review the issue.

Scott Marting, the director of Risk Management for the county, said that was not possible.

“We are here now to make an emergency request because we feel we are out of time. We cannot afford to wait any longer,” he said.

Mike Diamond is a journalist at the Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He covers county government. You can reach him at mdiamond@pbpost.com. Help support local journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Health care for county employees? Will it be available by Jan. 1?