COUNTY STUDIES HEALTH INSURANCE PROPOSALS

JACKSON - The Cape Girardeau County Commission Monday received about two dozen health insurance proposals from 10 different agencies, but it will take a while to sort through the stacks of paperwork to determine whether premiums will go up or down.

The bids were accepted by the commission and referred to a special committee of County Clerk Rodney Miller, Deputy County Clerk Judy Beussink, and County Auditor H. Weldon Macke.

Miller said they will meet later in the week to try and sort through the various bids.

Cape County's health insurance is presently with United of Omaha, which began covering the county employees in June of 1991. Last summer the contract was extended six months, with the understanding that the commission would bid the plan again in December.

The present plan covers 145 county employees, including 22 who are in the county health department. Bidders were asked to submit bids for covering the health department employees under a separate policy, instead of under the county's plan.

Cape County pays about $32,000 a month in medical insurance for employees, at a rate of $208.15 per month per employee. A dental insurance plan costs the county about $2,400 a month.

Dependent health insurance coverage, which is paid by the employees, runs $319.63 per month under the present plan.