It was a packed house at the Uintah County Commission meeting on Monday with many county employees attending as proposed changes to health benefits were considered. Uintah County Director of Human Resources Joe McKea presented the proposed changes. To date, the county has paid 95 percent of the insurance premium while employees paid 5 percent. The proposed change would increase the employee portion to 15 percent for those who do not participate in a county wellness program. “The world is going this direction,” explained McKea. “Think about car insurance…more accidents means higher rates. It’s kind of the same with health insurance as well so we are building in a wellness component to the health benefits.” County employees asked clarifying questions about the proposal and the percent breakdowns. The new wellness requirements include an annual physical, blood work, survey, and certain health commitments such as abstaining from tobacco use. The County Commissioners approved the proposed changes plus a survey to compare benefits to other entities to be used as a reference during budgeting in 2018.
