FILE:  EGAC

 

HEALTH INSURANCE

 

 

The Iberville Parish School Board (IPSB), shall, at its discretion, contract for Group Health Insurance program(s) for its employees and their dependents.  Any employee who wishes to include a dependent must provide legal documentation that the person is a dependent.  Legal documentation may include the following:

 

  1. A current marriage license shall be required for a spouse

     

  2. A birth certificate or legal guardianship documents shall be required for children

     

  3. A current marriage certificate or other legal documentation acceptable to the School Board shall be required for stepchildren

     

  4. For other qualified dependents, the School Board shall require such legal documentation as determined by the administration

 

The School Board may contribute a determined amount monthly for all permanently employed personnel.  The School Board reserves the right to evaluate its fiscal responsibility each year concerning the School Board's premium contribution for its employees.

 

It is the responsibility of the employee to notify the IPSB when spouse and/or dependents are no longer eligible for coverage.  This includes, but is not limited to, divorce of spouse or dependents reaching the age of 26.  In the event an employee is found to continue to cover a divorced spouse, or dependents over the age of 26 disciplinary action may be taken.

 

Employees may make changes to coverage each year during the open enrollment period which occurs in the fall with an effective date of January 1.  In addition, employees shall make changes to coverage at any time within 30 days of a qualifying event occurring.  Qualifying events include, but are not limited to, birth, death, marriage, divorce, loss of other coverage.

 

School Board members shall also be eligible to participate in the group health insurance program.

 

An employee of the Iberville Parish School Board who is Active-Disabled Medicare Primary may elect Humana Medicare Advantage health coverage if he/she is eligible.

 

RETIREES

 

Individuals employed after December 31, 2001, who retire while in the service of the IPSB may elect as of the date of and at the time of their retirement as to whether or not they wish to accept or decline health insurance coverage provided by the IPSB. A written election as to the acceptance or declining of said coverage is required.  A retiree declining coverage under the IPSB health insurance plan shall not be allowed to return to the plan at any time in the future.  Careful consideration to possible future circumstances should be given prior to electing to decline coverage.  Retirees who do not elect coverage or dependent coverage at the time of retirement or drop coverage at any time after retirement, are not eligible to rejoin the IPSB plan thereafter.

 

Retirees who accept coverage under the IPSB plan may drop coverage during open enrollment each year but can only add spouse or eligible dependent coverage within thirty (30) days of a qualifying event.  Qualifying events include, but are not limited to birth, death, marriage, divorce, and loss of coverage.

 

Effective January 1, 2018, any IPSB retiree or their spouse who becomes eligible for Medicare Parts A & B, must enroll in the Humana Medicare Advantage health coverage offered by the IPSB. It is the responsibility of the retiree to notify the IPSB when becoming Medicare eligible.  Retirees who are elected as School Board Members and are Medicare Eligible must enroll in the Humana Medicare Advantage health coverage.

 

It is the responsibility of the retiree to notify the IPSB when spouse and/or dependents are no longer eligible for coverage.  This includes, but is not limited to, divorce of spouse or dependents reaching the age of 26. In the event a retiree is found to continue to cover a divorced spouse, or dependents over the age of 26 disciplinary action may be taken.

 

Retirees that have insurance coverage through IPSB automatically qualify for the preferred premium once they reach age 75.  All prior retiree wellness premium requirements are waived at age 75 and the retiree automatically qualifies for the preferred premium.

 

Vesting Schedule for Retiree Health Insurance

 

The Iberville Parish School Board shall use the following schedule to determine the percentage of the employer’s portion of retiree health insurance of employees hired after December 31, 2001 it will pay:

 

  • Less than six (6) consecutive years of service with IPSB at time of retirement 

  0%
  • Six (6) years or more, but less than seven (7) consecutive years of service at time of retirement

  20%

  • Seven (7) years or more, but less than eight (8) consecutive years of service at time of retirement

  40%

  • Eight (8) years or more, but less than nine (9) consecutive years of service at time of retirement

  60%

  • Nine (9) years or more, but less than ten (10) consecutive years of  service at time of retirement

  80%
  • Ten (10) consecutive years or more of service at time of retirement

100%

 

Effective July 1, 2025, all current and newly hired employees will receive previous tenure credit from their prior employer, private or public, of twenty-five percent (25%) of previous, relevant, years of service up to five (5) years. The vesting percentage for each retiree will be determined from the table above at the date of retirement. This percentage will be applied to the employer portion to determine the premium of each retiree.

 

The employer’s portion above not paid by the Iberville Parish School Board, plus his/her normal portion, shall be paid by the retiree, if he/she elects coverage under the School Board’s health insurance plan.  The School Board shall pay 100% of the employer’s portion of retirees’ health insurance premiums for executive level positions, to include Supervisors, Maintenance and Facilities Director, Executive Director of Academics, Executive Director of Operations, Chief Financial Officer, and Superintendent of Schools.

 

Payment of Retiree Insurance Premiums

 

Retiree premiums for health and life insurance will be deducted from the retiree's monthly retirement benefit check.

 

Premiums for dental insurance will be drafted from the retiree's checking account monthly.  In addition, some surviving spouses of retirees may have all insurance premiums drafted from their checking account monthly.  Any insurance premiums returned to the IPSB for insufficient funds must be paid in full by the 20th of the month.  The retiree will also be responsible for any NSF fees incurred by the IPSB.  Failure to pay will result in cancellation of coverage and coverage will not be reinstated.

 

Failure to pay Medicare premiums timely will result in a loss of coverage under the Humana Medicare Advantage health plan.  Should Humana notify the IPSB that a retiree has lost coverage due to either failure to pay Medicare premiums or voluntarily dropping coverage, that retiree will be dropped from IPSB coverage and will not be allowed to reinstate coverage.

 

Surviving Spouse Benefits

 

The surviving Spouse will be eligible to continue health insurance benefits at the rate prescribed at the time of death of the employee/retiree.

 

When the surviving spouse reaches age 65, he/she will convert to retiree rates.

 

Surviving Dependent(s) Benefits

 

The surviving Dependent child of an Employee or Retiree may continue coverage unless or until such Dependent child is or becomes eligible for coverage under a group health plan other than Medicare, or until end of the month of the attainment of the termination age for that specific Dependent Child, whichever occurs first.

 

School Board Members

 

Any current School Board member who has served in such capacity and has participated in the group health insurance plan during the all years served shall be eligible to continue participation in the group health insurance program (hereinafter “eligible former School Board member”) in the same manner as non-School Board member retirees.

 

The Iberville Parish School Board shall use the following schedule to determine the employer’s portion of the eligible former School Board member’s portion of health insurance it will pay:

 

  • Less than six (6) consecutive years as a School Board member immediately prior to completion of service as a School Board member

0%

  • Six (6) years or more, but less than seven (7) consecutive years as a Board member immediately prior to completion of service as a School Board member

20%

  • Seven (7) years or more, but less than eight (8) consecutive years as a Board member immediately prior to completion of service as a School Board member

40%

  • Eight (8) years or more, but less than nine (9) consecutive years as a School Board member immediately prior to completion of service as a School Board member

60%

  • Nine (9) years or more, but less than ten (10) consecutive years as a School Board member immediately prior to completion of service as a School Board member

80%

  • Ten (10) consecutive years as a School Board member immediately prior 100% to completion of service as a School Board member

100%

 

The Iberville Parish School Board’s portion above not paid by the Iberville Parish School Board, plus his/her normal portion, shall be paid by the eligible former School Board member, if he/she elects coverage under the School Board’s health insurance plan.

 

Revised:  May, 2003  Revised:  August 14, 2017
Revised:  March, 2007 Revised:  September 10, 2018
Revised:  June 11, 2007 Revised:  October 9, 2023
Revised:  June 8, 2009 Revised:  December 11, 2023
Revised:  January 12, 2010 Revised:  September 4, 2024
Revised:  October 10 2011 Revised:  July 14, 2025
Revised:  July 10, 2013  

 

 

Ref:    La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:1221, 17:1222, 17:1223, 42:821, 42:851

Board minutes, 8-13-79, 12-10-01, 5-14-07, 6-11-07, 6-8-09, 1-12-10, 10-10-11, 6-10-13, 8-14-17, 9-10-18, 10-9-23, 12-11-23, 9-4-24, 7-14-25

 

Iberville Parish School Board