Hinds Co. workers get relief on insurance cost

JACKSON – (AP) Hinds County supervisors have voted 3-2 to keep the contract approved earlier this month with United Healthcare and its local representative, Bottrell Insurance.

The new contract lowers employees' health insurance deductible from a staggering $5,000 to a low of $500 but more than doubles their monthly premiums, from $73 for a single employee to $173.

The board voted this month to absorb about $44 of the cost per month per employee.

County Administrator Carmen Davis told The Clarion-Ledger that's possible because the county budgeted for an 8 percent increase in its share of the health insurance cost, and that cost ended up not rising.

The 8 percent would equal about $44 per employee per month.