SEMO regents OK new insurance plan

Employees will pay 100 percent of office visit costs and 100 percent of prescription costs up to their $500 deductible under a new medical insurance plan approved by the Southeast Missouri State University's Board of Regents Tuesday.

This applies to the the university's regular plan. Changes to their catastrophic plan include the addition of preventive care coverage and the elimination of prescription drug co-pays; employees will pay up to the cost of the $1,500 deductible.

Cafeteria plans, which allow employees to pay for certain benefits on a pre-tax basis, will be increased from $450 to $750 to offset the higher up-front deductible cost of the regular plan.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the provider. The unversity is saving about $441,000 from the changes and will have about $154,000 in their budget after the increase in the cafeteria plans.

The university employs about 955 employees. News bureau director Ann Hayes said there will be meetings for the next three weeks to discuss the changes.