Cape County's insurance to include Medicare plans

The Cape Girardeau County Commission made a motion Thursday to amend its insurance policy to include Medicare coverage plans as an option for eligible employees.

The Medicare option is beneficial to employees because, with available supplemental plans, it has better coverage and lower deductibles than the county plan, officials said. Supplemental coverage costs through Medicare will paid for by the county, which will save money because reimbursing employees for Medicare programs is cheaper than keeping them on the county group plan.

The commission also reviewed a bid for a replacement backup generator for the county's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration emergency radio system. According to Richard Knaup, emergency management director, the system serves several hundred thousand residents across Missouri and Illinois, including Cape Girardeau, Bollinger, Perry, Union and Alexander counties, as well as portions of Scott and Stoddard counties. Mike's Inc. of South Roxana, Ill., provided the sole bid at $34,825. Three-quarters of the expense will be funded by a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant, with the balance paid for by the city of Cape Girardeau and in-kind county labor.

The county responded to a request for the use of the Common Pleas Courthouse steps for a political news conference by saying the facility is available to the public, as long as access to and from the building is not impeded.

The county was contacted by Victor R. Gunn, campaign manager for state Rep. Wayne Wallingford, R-Cape Girardeau, asking to use the steps for a endorsement event for Wallingford, who is a candidate for the 27th Senate District. The commission decided not to grant exclusive use of the building for that purpose, as the courthouse must be available to anyone, unlike other structures that can be reserved, such as the gazebo on the courthouse lawn.

Approval of an engineering services contract for a bridge replacement project on County Road 272 was postponed until the commission meets Monday, due to an error in the contract documents.

salderman@semissourian.com

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