Brick School Board Cuts $800,000 From Health Benefits Costs By Leaving State Program

The Brick Township School District is expecting its health insurance to cost about $800,000 less when it switches from the state’s plan to one offered by Horizon, the school board announced Thursday night.

Board member Larry Reid, in presenting the finance committee report, said the move was suggested because rates under the State Health Benefits Plan were set to rise an average of 12 percent.

The district is switching to Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Reid said, where many of the district’s employees were covered under the state plan.

“I guess they wanted to keep us, so they offered us a better rate,” Reid said.

District Business Administrator James Edwards said the contract will cost with Horizon will cost the district $22.9 million for the 2015 calendar year. The current year’s contract with the state program costs approximately $22 million, not including employee contributions, Edwards said.

“It (the 2015 contract with Horizon) is more, but not as much as if we were to stay with the state,” Edwards said.