More Initiatives

County Employee Health Insurance – Rising medical costs and claims history are the two key components impacting annual health insurance premiums.  The Fiscal Year 2006/2007 county health insurance premiums came in at 120% the previous year’s cost.  With minor adjustments to “in network” co-pays and deductibles, along with more significant changes to “out of network” coverage (less than ½ of 1% of claims are historically out of network services), premiums were held to an 8% increase.  The entire 8% increase for the employee single rate will be paid by the county thereby keeping the single plan rate stable for the employee and significantly holding down increases for family plan premiums.

Self-insured Dental – The county’s decision to self-insured employee dental for Fiscal Year 2006/2007 eliminated a 9% premium increase otherwise necessary under the previous plan. 

Dead Animal Control Program – In Fiscal Year 2004/2005 Hardin County Government combined forces with the Commonwealth to initiate a countywide program to assist in the disposal of fallen farm livestock.  Initially the program required the farmer to pay the entire cost of dead animal disposal upfront and then apply for a 50% refund from county government.  Today the program has evolved into a fully funded program contracted by the county where farmers no longer front the cost and then apply for reimbursement.  Now farmers simply call the rendering service for retrieval and disposal of their fallen animal.  All disposal costs are paid in advance through the county’s contract.
 
“Recreation Accounts” – In the 2003/2004 Fiscal Year Budget (and each subsequent budget year) individually controlled Magistrate “Recreation Accounts” were eliminated and in their place a central recreation account was established under the collective control of Hardin County Fiscal Court.