Council Gives Itself Health Benefits

By a vote of 3 to 2, Rancho Palos Verdes City Council members have made themselves the only council members on the Palos Verdes Peninsula to receive a health and life insurance benefit package similar to those given city employees.

The expense, which will come out of the city’s general fund, cannot exceed $8,500 for the council. It is expected to be much less, said a city official, because several council members are covered by other benefit plans, and their city-paid insurance coverage would be secondary to their existing medical and dental insurance.

Council members receive an expense allowance of $150 per month, but no salary.

City employees have three medical and two dental plans from which to choose. Employees pay for a portion of those plans, with the employee portion of premiums ranging from $143 a month for family coverage under the most expensive medical plan, to no cost for health maintenance organization coverage for an unmarried employee. Dental coverage is additional, and can reach $15 a month for families.

Employees also participate in a mental health plan and are covered by a life insurance policy at twice their yearly salary at no charge. Council members will be eligible for the same medical, dental and mental health plans, though council members will get a straight $50,000 life insurance policy.

They will be eligible to apply for the coverage immediately.

Council members Douglas Hinchliffe and Jacki Bacharach voted against the proposal.