Month: August 2012

The National Labor Relations Board is reviewing a charge from a union that Metcalfe's Market has refused to bargain in good faith and violated the Taft-Hartley Labor Act. According to documents filed in June by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, Local 1473, the charge centers around increases in health insurance premiums for about 23 employees in the meat departments at the company's stores at the Hilldale Shopping Center and in Wauwatosa. (WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL, 8/7)

Two Wisconsin surrogate mothers - with help from the state Commissioner of Insurance and state Supreme Court - have made Wisconsin the most surrogacy-friendly state in the nation when it comes to health insurance. A 2010 Supreme Court ruling, handed down after the two women were denied benefits, makes it illegal for most health insurers to refuse to cover a surrogate's pregnancy. That means infertile couples who want to be parents can save thousands of dollars in medical costs by working with Wisconsin surrogates. (JOURNAL SENTINEL, 8/6)

The cost of health benefits rose 5% to 7% this year for employers and employees in the Milwaukee area - the smallest increase in a decade, but still roughly three times the rate of inflation. Health benefit costs now average $5,750 to $5,999 for single coverage and $15,000 to $15,999 for family coverage in the Milwaukee area, according to the greater Milwaukee employer Health Care Benefits Survey done by HCTrends. (JOURNAL SENTINEL, 8/3)

New health plans are now required to provide certain preventive services free of charge under provisions in the federal health reform law that took effect Wednesday. The eight co-pay free benefits include contraception, well woman visits and breast feeding supplies. The Department of Health and Human Services expects that 47 million women – 968,000 in Wisconsin – will benefit. (WHN, 8/2)

The Germantown School Board plans to stick with WEA Trust for its health insurance; however, they were not quite ready to vote Monday night. Though WEA Trust came back with the lowest bid that would save the district 2.19 percent - $135,811 - compared with last year, the board wants to see if WEA can offer employees two options instead of one. This could subsequently save the district additional money, said insurance consultant Greg Kamps with Gallagher Benefit Services. How much additional savings depends on which plan employees select. (GERMANTOWN NOW, 8/1)