by John Osborn ·
Friday, January 12, 2024
Harvard’s benefits-eligible municipal and school employees will soon be able to purchase dental and vision insurance at favorable rates through group policies offered by the town.
At its Tuesday night meeting, Jan. 9, the Select Board voted unanimously to approve a plan developed by Marie Sobalvarro, assistant town administrator and human resources director. The vision and dental offerings proposed by Sobalvarro had previously been recommended to the Select Board by the Insurance Advisory Committee, 6-0, at its Jan. 4 meeting.
Beginning this May, eligible employees will be able to purchase a dental and a vision plan in addition to other insurance offered by the town. The plans are offered through the same municipal insurance pool, MIIA, that provides the town’s health insurance. But unlike health insurance, the cost of the vision and dental policies will be paid 100% by the employee.
Employees will be able to choose between an individual or family dental plan offered by Blue Cross. An individual Dental Blue Freedom plan will cost $40.95 per month; a family plan can be purchased for $101.46 per month.
For vision insurance, the town will offer a Blue 20/20 Premium plan, administered by EyeMed Vision Care. Individual coverage will cost $6.77 per month while a family plan will be available for $18.82. Plans are also available for couples and for individuals with one or more children.
The Harvard teachers union, the Harvard Educators Association, was instrumental in advocating for employee-paid dental insurance. The memo of understanding negotiated with the School Committee this past June asked that the committee send a letter on or before Nov. 1, 2023, to the Select Board “advocating for the Town to offer dental insurance for employees.” Members of the HEA and School Committee also appeared in person before the Select Board last fall to make the request. “The vision plan is a wonderful bonus,” School Committee Chair Abby Besse said in an email to the Press.
For those who enroll, coverage begins July 1, 2024. Monthly premiums will be deducted directly from employee paychecks starting in June. The new coverage will be available to current employees only, not retirees.