By Bobby Cherry

Published: Wednesday, January 16, 2013, 12:01 a.m.
Updated: Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Leetsdale Council members soon could require its employees to pay into health care costs.

Council members next month are expected to continue discussing a plan that could charge some employees $25 per pay for use of a family premium health insurance plan, President Joe McGurk said.

Employees under the single-user plan would pay nothing.

“The people who work for the borough who have family members on our plan or a spouse on our plan, the premiums to pay for them are much more significant than the premiums we pay for single people,” McGurk said.

Three of the borough's five non-uniform employees — which include office staff and public works — would be affected.

“We're trying to make it so the single person, who's way, way, way less expensive for coverage doesn't pay anything, and as a nominal token — it really is a token compared to what the family premium would be — (employees with families) would pay $25 per pay,” council member Linda Michael said.

Under a contract agreement last year, police officers contribute $25 per pay for health care costs.

Under the borough's previous health care plan with Highmark, non-uniform employee premiums ranged from about $340 for single users to more than $1,000 for families, borough secretary Liz Petalino said.

Petalino did not have coverage costs for the borough's new HealthAmerica insurance plan.

Borough solicitor Kate Diersen said she would know next month whether the borough could offer a tiered plan.

Bobby Cherry is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-324-1408 or rcherry@tribweb.com.

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