By Steve Browne 

Rising health insurance costs are cutting into Barnes County’s budget as the cost of employee premiums increases faster than county revenue.
In 2008, Barnes County income increased to about $7.7 million from about $7 million in 2007, an increase of about 9 percent, according to figures supplied by Barnes County Auditor Ed McGough. In 2007, county income increased about 6 percent from the previous year.
In 2009, the county’s share of employee insurance premiums for 70 employees was $386,000 per year, an increase of about 20 percent over the previous two-year county employee contract period.
During the 2009-11 biennium, the county’s share of insurance costs for 71 employees enrolled in the county health insurance plan is set to rise at least $148,000 to $504,000 per year, a hike of about 25 percent over the previous biennium.
McGough said the county covers 75 percent of the cost of health insurance for county employees but that figures are approximate since employees may choose to opt out if they are covered by a spouse’s insurance policy or find a better deal. Most City-County Health District employee premiums are fully covered by state law.
The approximately 15 county employees who did not get raises last year actually had a substantial cut in take-home pay when their insurance premiums went up, McGough said.

For full story, see the 11/23/2009 edition of the Valley City Times-Record.