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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBPW-07-19-06-04 Benefit Plan/No Tobacco RESOLUTION BPW 07-19-06-04 A RESOLUTION PROVIDING AN ECONOMIC INCENTIVE TO CITY OF CARMEL EMPLOYEE HEALTH BENEFIT PLAN PARTICIPANTS WHO DO NOT USE TOBACCO PRODUCTS WHEREAS, the City of Carmel wishes to promote a variety of wellness initiatives to enhance its employees' quality of life and to control rising health insurance costs; and WHEREAS, studies consistently show that the regular use of tobacco products has a negative impact on the health of users, and, in the case of smokers, on the health of those around them; and . WHEREAS, the negative health effect of tobacco use translates to higher insurance costs, which are shared by all of the City's insurance plan participants; and WHEREAS, the City wishes to structure employee contributions to its Employee Health Benefit Plan in a manner calculated to discourage the use of tobacco and minimize tobacco-related illnesses; and WHEREAS, through Public Law 136-2006, the Indiana legislature authorized employers to provide financial incentives intended to reduce tobacco use. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Carmel Board of Public Works and Safety as follows: I. The forgoing recitals are incorporated herein by this reference. 2. For the purposes of this program, "use" shall mean consistently consume any and/or all tobacco products more than two (2) days per week. J. Effective August 1, 2006, the City shall establish a HIPAA-qualified bona fide wellness program through which a $10 surcharge ("Surcharge") will be applied to the bi-weekly health insurance contributions of each City employee. However, this Surcharge will be waived in its entirety for those employees: a) who do not use tobacco product(s); and b) whose participating family members do not use tobacco product(s). In compliance with HIPAA requirements, the Surcharge may also be waived for individuals who meet certain established requirements, which will be distributed to employees on or before August 1,2006. Only one Surcharge will be applied per family unit, no matter how many members of that family unit use tobacco. The Surcharge will not begin to be applied until January I, 2007, in order to give employees ample notice of its implementation and opportunity to enroll in a smoking cessation program. CITY OF CARMEL, INDIANA By and through its Board of Public Works and Safety ( T/;t!Ob Date . , ) -/ 9- 06' Date 1//'/ao Date I I ., - ') An:ES'[: , oard'Member ". '?";<'A;. ... . :.F/ .- '~ ,:. ~~ . '" . -.: 1:, 7/Q/o?-> Date! lana~Cordray,IAMC;' , .1,/,', "" ;, ',' "..,..........1) . '...,...,. '(i\"> ~I ,:., .t..y , ~-_.-'"