Board decides district health plans

By HEATHER CATHLEEN COX
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com

The San Benito CISD Board of Trustees recently voted to amend its health care vendors, an effort that will reportedly save the district at least $250,000 annually.

At a special meeting of the school board, trustees were presented with the findings of an evaluation committee’s in-depth analysis of both current and hopeful health vendors. This committee, comprised of five individuals who were selected by Superintendent of Schools Antonio G. Limón, included: Lorenzo Sanchez, Emma McColl, Adrian Garcia, Art Granados and Glenn Hillyer.

Earlier this summer, SBCISD advertised a request for vendor proposals for the following services: Stop loss insurance; diabetic supplies, pharmacy benefits manager, third party administrative services for employee benefit plans; and cafeteria and voluntary plans.

This open invitation to potential vendors included sending 60-day termination notices to the district’s current providers, some of which were ultimately reinstated.

As per Garcia, who also serves as Purchasing Agent for SBCISD, the current list of vendors to begin on or before the new fiscal year, are as follows:

• In the case of stop loss insurance: Wesco is the current provider, but as of September 1, Legend Insurance (National Health Insurance Companies) will be the district’s new provider;

• In the case of diabetic supply: Liberty Medical Supply Inc. is the district’s current diabetic supplier but will be replaced on September 1, by Miracle Medical Equipment;

• In the case of pharmacy benefit manager: the current provider, Data Rx Management Inc., will be replaced by Maxor on Oct. 1;

• In the case of third-party administrators for employee health plans: Assured Benefits Administrators, the district’s current provider, will continue serving SBCISD;

• In the case of third-party administrators for voluntary health plans: the district’s present provider, David K. Young, will continue servicing the district;

• In the case of servicing agent for voluntary plans: Salazar Insurance Group will continue servicing SBCISD in this area;

• In the case of administrator for 457 and 403 Plans (voluntary retirement plans): National Life Group of Brownsville, who offered the only bid, will service the district in this regard and will replace the previous provider, who Garcia said is now deceased.

Limón stated, “The board went out for insurance (bids) in different areas. As a result, we had some very positive results. The district will be saving over $250,000 in fees because we got better prices and deals.”