The city’s Insurance Committee has scheduled an employees’ meeting for 3 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28, to discuss the health insurance plan and options available for the new contract year.

The City Council last week received quotes from United Health Care, which is the current provider.

Two options were proposed - the current benefits package, at an increase of 29 percent annual cost or a reshaped one costing about 21 percent more.

Yesterday, the committee and UHC also discussed a third option which would have dropped the rate increase a couple of more points but substantially altered benefits.

The committee -- Council members Jack Burson and Chawana Fontenot, Treasurer Drusy Rougeau, Personnel Director Jackie Thibodeaux and ex-officio member Mayor Bob Morris agreed the package is a considerable benefit for employees and they did not want to change it. So they favor keeping the same plan, with the city absorbing the overwhelming portion of the cost.

The city’s health insurance expense will increase $130,000 for a year.

The employee’s cost will go from $26 to $36, meaning the participants’ cost will increase a total of $12,000 for the year.