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November 18, 2004Benzie teachers, schools lock horns over health insuranceSome have agreed to make dealsByRecord-Eagle staff writer BEULAH - Contract negotiations between Benzie Central teachers and administrators are at an impasse over the cost of health insurance. The district is not alone. Health insurance has been a big issue in contract talks throughout the region, which continue for teachers in Bear Lake, Bellaire, Buckley, Central Lake, Harbor Springs, Forest Area, Gaylord, Kaleva Norman Dickson, Kalkaska, Leland, Mancelona, Manistee, Mesick, Onekama and Suttons Bay. Benzie administrators want to limit their insurance payments to $13,056 per teacher per year, which amounts to about $1.3 million. Teachers would have to pay an annual premium of about $920 to maintain their coverage or about $80 for a reduced benefits plan. School officials say similar spending caps will become more common. "This is a legitimate trend statewide and nationwide that employees share in the responsibility of health care and fringe benefits," said David Hershey, a Michigan Association of School Boards negotiator. Kathleen Betts, a Michigan Education Association representative, disagrees. "I've seen it on a lot of tables, but we haven't agreed to it," she said. "Teachers make less money up here so they've always bargained for health insurance." The MEA says employees in two area districts - Northport and Traverse Bay Area Intermediate - accepted an insurance cap. An agreement that Northport teachers cover any cost increase over 15 percent kicked in this year, superintendent Richard Cross said. Teachers will pay about $568. The district will spend roughly $232,000. "If there is more than a 15 percent increase in one year, the teachers absorb the excess," Cross said. Traverse City teachers recently agreed to a similar arrangement. They will not pay any insurance premiums this year, but that is likely to change next year. "There is no out-of-pocket premium at the moment," said John Scrudato, a Traverse City Education Association representative. "It will go on next year, but there is no knowledge of what it will be at this time." Benzie teachers say they will stand firm in their refusal to pay the health premiums. Administrators are just as determined. "The board of education is not asking for concessions," superintendent David Micinski said. "We want a partnership with members of our staff to share the cost of healthcare."
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