Judge expected to rule today on Flint teachers health insurance

A decision on whether or not the Flint School District has the right to change teachers health care coverage is expected today.

Genesee Circuit Judge Joseph Farah said he will make a decision today although he feels like he doesn’t have all the facts surrounding the case.

“I have to make a decision on what you folks hand to me so if I make a decision on ‘I don’t knows’ and ‘I’m not sures’ — I’d rather not make a decision based on that,” Farah told the attorneys at a Thursday hearing.

Earlier this month the district notified United Teachers of Flint that it will terminate its existing contract with MESSA, a health care provider established by the Michigan Education Association. Under the proposed HealthPlus of Michigan plan the school district will become its own policy holder.

The teachers are concerned that they will not have the same coverage under HealthPlus.

“(The new plan) is a mirror image of the old one,” said Kendall Williams, chief negotiator for the district.

Under MESSA, teachers were required to pay a $5 co-pay for generic and name brand prescriptions. Today’s evidence suggested that many teachers received services for free when a 10 percent co-payment should have been charged.

“That was very surprising to me,” said Karen Pugh, acting executive director of human resources and legal affairs for the district. Pugh said no one gave MESSA authorization to wave the 10 percent co-payments.

Headstart teacher Talicia Taylor wanted to know if she would still receive free services for her disabled son, 25, under the new contract. Currently, she receives in-home care eight hours a day.

“He can’t do anything by himself,” she said. “I have to literally move his hands and position his body for him.”

Teachers testified that they were not given contract documents. They were presented with a two page summary of the contract details. Teachers also testified that they were unsuccessful in trying to receive the documents from the board and HealthPlus.

HealthPlus Vice President of Sales and Development, Nancy Jenains, testified that the current proposed HealthPlus contract is a draft and that things may change. She also said that the district has the right to amend the contract within 30 days.

“We will mirror the plan because the law requires us too,” said Pugh.

Pugh said that means the district will continue to allow teachers to receive the same services from the same doctors for the same cost.

The district will save roughly $3 million a year under the HealthPlus plan.

“If we have to come back and continue tomorrow we will but I have a quarter of a million dollar decision to make within the next 72 hours,” Farah said Thursday.