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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>The Bucks
Consulting Corporation is the benefits consulting firm that “guides”
the University of Idaho’s health insurance program. They were
unhappy with the letter we sent on September 2 to Dr. Nellis detailing our
concern about the UI self-insured health care program. We urged Dr.
Nellis to consider joining up with the other public higher ed. institutions in
the state for a much more affordable, containing better benefits, health
insurance package. The Buck boys were not happy about our
suggestion. Oh, well. Anyhow, we sent the following letter to Dr.
Nellis et al. We will continue to pursue this issue.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>And now, at least
for the rest of the evening, I’m getting off this computer and going to
bed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Rose<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>********************<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Good Evening,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>One of the
greatest pleasures in life is the epiphany of an “ah-HA”
moment. We enjoyed one such moment this afternoon.
Thanks to the kindness of a friend, we received copies of the September 16, 2009
letter sent to Dr. Nellis from Buck Consultants’ representatives Daniel
Levin and John Lapinski. Their letter furnished the key to unlock the
mystery behind the distinctly chilly responses we have received from all of
you. Now we know why University Counsels Kent Nelson and Sharyl
Kammerzell felt comfortable ignoring Ms. Huskey’s public records request
of September 16<sup>th</sup>. It explained the vague generalities and
patronizing platitudes in Ms. Stotler’s letter. We get it – you
embraced (no doubt with a happy sigh of relief) the innuendos suggested by the
Buck Consultants that we are a pair of not very bright – and possibly
malicious -- crackpots.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>It is both just
and pragmatic to stipulate that the material presented by Buck Consultants is
intended to support their lucrative $250,000+ annual contract with the
UI. (Help us to understand what in the world they do to earn that kind of
money.) And, it is equally sensible to recognize that it is in the best
interest of those administrators who helped establish (and continue to support)
the self-insurance program to justify their actions in part by marginalizing us
and dismissing our concerns. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Historically, the
UI has valued employees and their families as evidenced by previously family-friendly,
affordable, health insurance policies. Times change. Current UI
administrators chose to channel a majority of employees into the high
deductible Plan H. This is, of course, a pleasant little cash cow
arrangement for the university.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>We appreciate the
irony of Buck Consultants accusing us of cherry-picking a coverage tier and
plan option combination that they claim portrays the current insurance program
in an unfavorable light. We simply followed the model offered by a former
UI benefits consultant in a PowerPoint presentation at a benefits explanation
meeting on campus. She compared Plan H to Plan B (a plan that only 7% of UI
employees chose because of the high premium costs). Dr. Nellis, we urge you to
personally review the Plan H “model” wherein a hypothetical UI
employee with a family earning a gross salary of $25,000 (or less) a year is
able to contribute $5300 a year to his HSA. How credible is that
scenario? It is our belief that such examples were selected to scare
employees into the only affordable option: high deductible Plan H.
Do you, President Nellis, think that it is a coincidence, that 68% of UI
employees are enrolled in Plan H.? Or, do you prefer the spin offered by UI
administrators who congratulate themselves on launching a surprisingly
successful marketing program?</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:red'>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>We strongly
dispute Buck’s claim of financial parity with the State of Idaho
employees health insurance program. We believe that we can demonstrate that
many of the claims in their September 16<sup>th</sup> letter are deliberately
inaccurate and misleading. We are eager to have a face-to-face
conversation with any of you who are willing to explain and/or defend the
current UI health insurance program. Naturally, we hope that Dr. Nellis
would also be present. We look forward to learning how the current plan
might be described as family friendly, affordable, and competitive with
the other state university insurance plans. Absent proof to the
contrary, we again reiterate that the primary purpose behind the current self-insurance
program and cost shifting move is the agreeable financial bonus it provides the
University. By the way, would you mind sharing just how that profit is
used?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Who amongst you
would enjoy a front end deductible that is 10% of your gross salary? Curiously,
you don’t appear to object when a cleaning specialist supporting a family
on her annual salary of $20,000 a year is forced into Plan H and must meet a
$2300 deductible. Why not show your good will and unselfish
leadership by throwing your lot in with her (and hundreds of other UI
employees)? Imagine the powerful example of solidarity you would set when
you voluntarily met the 10% challenge and capped off the whole stunt by signing
up for Plan H.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> <span style='color:
black'>We’d like to believe that with a new President, a new day is
dawning. Perhaps all employees -- and their families -- will be once
again be valued and treated fairly, maybe the time has come when the door
will finally close on a decade of avarice, criminal mismanagement, and
cover-ups. With privilege comes responsibility. Regardless of the
path that you individually and/or corporately take, know that we will continue
to seek the truth, demand accountability, and be very public with our questions
and your answers – because, in fact, we are neither stupid nor crackpots.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Best wishes,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Rosemary
Huskey
Saundra Lund<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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