After months of discussion about liability issues, Lamar County Commissioners have approved a health insurance premium assistance program for small businesses and their employees.
The program, run by an Austin-based non-profit organisation, offers small businesses with two to 50 employees a plan to help pay for health insurance premiums. To date, Lamar County joins nine other Texas counties that offer the state-approved program, including Bastrop, Bell, Burnet, Hays, Harris, McLennan, Milam, Travis and Williamson. Funding for the programme comes from penalties that health insurance companies pay to the state.
An agent works through the TexHealth Central Texas Premium Assistance Program to offer local business owners the plan, which is available to employees earning 400% of the federal poverty level, or less than $53,360 a year.
It provides premium assistance equal to one-third of the total premium, up to $110 per month.
During court hearings over the past several months, Lamar County Judge Brandon Bell expressed concern about the county’s legal responsibility because state law requires county government to oversee the program, even though state law gives community-based nonprofit organizations the authority to operate the program. The nonprofit included an indemnity clause in the contract to protect the county, but Bell still expressed concern about the nonprofit’s ability to cover any situation.
The programme was approved by a 3-2 vote at Monday’s meeting, with Commissioner Lonnie Layton joining Bell in opposition and Commissioners Ronnie Bass, Kevin Anderson and Alan Skidmore voting in favour.
Earlier in the day, the programme was brought before the Commissioners’ Court by Gala Burns, a Paris native and co-owner of CuatroBenefits, LLC, of Round Rock, Texas. She presented data showing that more than 1,000 small businesses operate in Lamar County, with more than 700 in Paris alone.
“I am pleased to share this valuable resource with other licensed insurance agents and consultants in Lamar County with small group benefits clients,” Burns said after Monday’s meeting. “This resource can help agents assist their small business clients who continue to face rising health insurance premiums.”
