A decision to join the Maine Municipal Employees Heath Trust was approved unanimously at a special town meeting in Bremen, Sept. 6. Selectman Hank Nevins said the change would allow the town to offer a health benefit to certain workers.
In addition to Nevins, Selectman John (Boe) Marsh and Chairman Wendy Pieh, there were three members of the public at the hearing.
Nevins said the other insurance providers in Maine spend approximately 20 percent of premiums on administrative costs.
“With this company, 94 percent of fees go to healthcare, so the rates are less,” he said.
Maine Municipal Employees Health Trust is a division of the Maine Municipal Association, a voluntary non-profit membership organization that offers professional services to municipalities and other local governmental entities in Maine.
Among those eligible to participate in the health plan are selectmen, school board members and other elected officials, as well as staff members such as those who work in the town office.
There is no fee to the town for membership. Selectmen have not yet determined what percentage of premium costs the town would pay. “We’re going to try to balance it out to where it doesn’t cost the townspeople a lot of money and we can get good employees,” Nevins said.
The board expressed interest in adding a retirement benefit, once they see how the health insurance component works.