An article in today's BCCT. Morrisville School District's participation in this was discussed at the Feb. 22 School Board Business Meeting.
Million dollar idea: Something for nothing?
Posted: Wednesday, February 29, 2012 5:00 am | Updated: 8:13 am, Wed Feb 29, 2012.
Here’s a story you don’t very often — if ever — hear: School district could save nearly a million bucks ... without giving up anything.
Wow!
Doesn’t that fall in the category of “getting something for nothing”? Or maybe “too good to be true”?
Either way, the Bristol Township school board this week voted to pool its buying power with other school districts in order to purchase health insurance at a discounted rate. So far, the Bucks & Montgomery County Schools Health Care Consortium has upward of 20 interested partners. The benefit to Bristol Township, which faces a multi-million dollar budget deficit: $947,000 off next year’s health insurance tab.
Sounds like an offer you can’t refuse or shouldn’t. What makes it a relative no-brainer is that, according to district Superintendent Samuel Lee and school board President Earl Bruck, the new arrangement would not affect current coverage. All employees would keep what they have, which would make a transition smooth, pain-free and non-controversial.
The more affordable coverage would be the result of lower administrative costs, no brokerage fees and savings on stop-loss insurance, which is coverage purchased by employers that limits their exposure under self insurance medical plans.
Bottom line: big savings!
That being the case, we’re wondering why more school districts haven’t jumped into the pool. Besides Bristol Township, the only schools and districts in Lower Bucks that have shown an interest are Bristol Borough, Centennial, Neshaminy and Bucks County Technical High School. According to Superintendent Lee, the consortium needs commitments by the end of March. Districts that have not been approached or have not acted on the proposal should do so in the next few weeks.
Free money doesn’t come along that often. School officials need to act, and taxpayers should make sure they do.
In addition to saving money on insurance, Bristol Township board members also have decided to make money by allowing advertising in the schools. At one time, this was a controversial issue. Parents and education purists alike would protest loudly and in large numbers. But, perhaps due to rising school taxes and shrinking state funding, anything school officials can do to offset expenses is welcomed these days. Plus, the company seeking approval to sell its clients’ wares in district schools promised its ads would only include “positive, creative and inspiring messages” and would be “focused on health, education, nutrition and safety.”
If only the sponsors of prime time TV programs would take the same vow.
Commendations to Bristol Township school board members for their creative thinking and enterprising ways. Taxpayers in the perennially-struggling district need all the help they can get.
6 comments:
Waiting for the winds of change
To sweep the clouds away
Waiting for the rainbow's end
To cast it's gold your way
Countless ways
You pass the days
Waiting for someone to call
And turn your world around
Looking for an answer
To the question you have found
Looking for
An open door
You don't get something for nothing
You can't have freedom for free
You won't get wise
With the sleep still in your eyes
No matter what your dreams might be
What you own is your own kingdom
What you do is your own glory
What you love is your own power
What you live is your own story
In your head is the answer
Let it guide you along
Let your heart be the anchor
And the beat of your own song
You don't get something for nothing
You can't have freedom for free
You won't get wise
With the sleep still in your eyes
No matter what your dreams might be
WWRD (What Would Rush Do)?
The Canadian Power Trio, not Limbaugh.
Probably take the Thailand Express to Bangkok. I'm sure they'd choose Freewill. Like a regular working man they could drive their red barchetta to Xanadu, but what would Tom Sawyer say?
I don't mean to make permanent waves, but seriously, what's the downside of getting in on this?
I'm sure it has advantages and disadvantages. What are the disadvantages? Is there too much of an up-front money commitment? Does it lock us in for too long? Can we do better on our own?
Jon, Not to much downside except you may need to accept terms you'd otherwise forgo. It's often a good deal when you can band together to save, just look at Costco or BJs. That is their business model. Another example is a small business insurance consortium, where small businesses band together to purchase health insurance for their employees, and they save by increasing the size of the group. They give up some amount of autonomy, but get better rates.
"Time after time, we lose sight of the way, our causes can't their effects."
Thanks! That's pretty much what I was thinking. I know we won't save $947,000 like Bristol Twp. because they're about 6x our size and budget, but if we save 1/6th of that, that's about $158,000, and that's nothing to sneeze at. And that's the savings for 1 year. It sounds like it's worth pursuing.
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