In August, 2001, Superintendent Garcia agreed to establish a CCASA / CCSD Administrative Reclassification Committee. This District committee was established at CCASA’s request and in response to CCASA’s concerns expressed to the Board and Superintendent Garcia regarding the lack of criteria for the creation of new administrative positions, the reclassification of existing administrative positions, and the reclassification of support staff positions to administrative positions.

As you may remember, a year ago the District conducted a series of reorganizations which resulted in a number of administrative employees being reclassified to higher ranges and/or longer contracts. At that time, CCASA addressed the Board to express its support for administration reclassification, especially when it resulted in administrators being more fairly compensated for the responsibilities which they have.

However, while CCASA expressed support for administrative reclassification, CCASA also expressed concern to the Board on several occasions that the current procedure was arbitrary, inconsistently applied, created inequities, and in many circumstances, was simply unfair.

Superintendent Garcia agreed with CCASA that there must be an objective criteria to ensure fairness and equity across the District. He agreed to establish the CCASA / CCSD Administrative Reclassification Committee to examine position reclassification and make recommendations for improving the procedure currently in place.

The goal of the Reclassification Committee is to establish a reclassification process that creates equity, fairness, and appropriate compensation. William Ewing, of Ewing and Associates, is a nationally recognized expert in the area of employee reclassification and compensation and has been working with the Reclassification Committee in the development of this procedure.

CCASA committee members include Mark Coleman, Sue DeFrancesco, Ken Fowler, David Harcourt, Bill Miller, Betty Roqueni, Fred Smith, Allin Chandler, and Stephen Augspurger. District representatives include George Ann Rice, Walt Rulffes, Richard Ennis, Edward Goldman, Hilary Engel, Shirley Sandoval, and Linda Thompson. Committee members have devoted many hours in developing a procedure which will create equity, fairness and appropriate compensation. Additional meetings of the Reclassification Committee have been scheduled for September 30 and October 1, 2002. It is expected that the committee will complete its work by December, 2002.

Medical Coverage - Sierra Health
Dental Coverage - Delta Dental
Vision Coverage - VSP
Life Insurance - Cigna
Long Term Disability - UNUM

Medical Coverage – Sierra Health

The CCASA / CCSD Health Insurance Plan is a “point of service” plan which allows all participants to secure health services from either an HMO, PPO, or MCI provider each time health services are needed. Participants can move between the HMO, PPO or MCI provider as desired for each medical need. Benefits received through the HMO portion of the plan will result in the lowest out-of-pocket cost and will generate the greatest savings for the individual and family.

There is no calendar year deductible to see a doctor. There are only copayments of $3.00 (HMO), $10.00 (PPO), and the amount charged by an MCI doctor that is in excess of 70% of the medically eligible expense. Please refer to your health benefits booklet for specific benefits under each of the point of service plans. Services received under the HMO benefit are not subject to calendar year deductibles or coinsurance payments. Some services under the PPO benefit are subject to calendar year deductible and coinsurance of 20%. All services under the MCI benefit are subject to the calendar year deductible and coinsurance of 30%.

Prescription copayments until January 1, 2003, are $3, $6 or $8. You should never be charged for anything more than these amounts. Any other copay is incorrect. There is no preauthorization required for any prescription and no prescription can be denied. The $3, $6, and $8 copays also apply to 90 day supplies of maintenance drugs ordered through Express Scripts.

Rene Bernier continues to serve as the Sierra Health Services account executive for the CCASA / CCSD Health Insurance Plan. If you have ANY problems with the HPN Point of Service Plan or the SHL Out-of-Area Plan, you can give Rene a call at 702-304-6964 or contact the CCASA office at 796-9602.

Dental Coverage – Delta Dental

Dental care is provided by Delta Dental Insurance Company. A summary of benefits is as follows: The deductible for each enrollee is a $100 lifetime deductible. Diagnostic and preventive services are generally paid at 100%. Basic benefits are covered at 80% and crowns are covered at 55%. Bridges and dentures are covered at 50%. There is a maximum $1500 benefit per patient per calendar year and a lifetime $1500 orthodontic benefit for dependent children to age 19.

Vision Coverage – VSP

The provider for vision care is Vision Services Plan (VSP). Examinations and lenses will be provided every 12 months and frames will be provided every 24 months. The plan includes a $10 copay to member doctors at the time services are provided.

Cigna Group Insurance

Each administrator currently participating in the CCASA / CCSD Health Insurance Plan has a $50,000 life insurance policy from Cigna. This policy also contains an additional $50,000 Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) benefit. This policy will reduce to a $25,000 life insurance policy with an additional $25,000 accidental death benefit at age 70. The policy also provides $2,000 life insurance coverage for the spouse of an active administrator and a $2,000 benefit for an active administrator’s dependent children through age 19 or 26 if enrolled as a full time student.

Long Term Disability - UNUM

This benefit is provided by the UNUM Life Insurance Company. The benefit is effective 180 days after an individual becomes disabled. The benefit is 60% of an individual’s salary. The premium is paid with after taxed money which makes the full 60% benefit tax free.

In addition to the comprehensive insurance plan outlined above, the Clark County Association of School Administrators and Professional-technical Employees has negotiated other health related benefits for administrative employees. These benefits are provided at no cost to the employee and include the following:

Hartford $100,000 Life Insurance Policy

The Clark County Association of School Administrators and Professional-technical Employees administers a $100,000 life insurance policy for all active employees and those retirees who elect to continue the policy after retirement. The policy also contains an additional $100,000 Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) benefit. Both the original amount and AD&D benefit reduce to $50,000, respectively, when the insured reaches age 70. This policy is currently provided through Hartford Life Insurance Company of America. This policy is a negotiated benefit provided by CCASA to active district administrators. There is no cost to active administrators. There is no negotiated life insurance contribution provided once an administrator retires. However, CCASA, as a free service to its members, will collect the premium from the retiree and transfer the premium to the Hartford Company. The benefit levels and premiums for retirees are the same as those of active administrators.

UNUM Long Term Care

CCASA also provides to each active administrator a basic Long Term Care policy. This policy pays $1000 per month for a long term care facility, $600 per month for an assisted living facility, and $500 per month if receiving professional home care from a licensed practitioner. This basic LTC plan pays a maximum benefit of $60,000. This policy is a negotiated benefit through CCASA and there is no cost to active administrators. Active administrators and retirees, who have had no lapse in long term care coverage, may also elect to purchase additional long term care coverage from UNUM.

During the 2001-2002 school year, David Harcourt, CCASA President, and the Representative Council directed CCASA staff to develop a CCASA web site. CCASA is pleased to announce that the web site is nearing completion and will soon be hosted by Cox Business Services. While the initial web site work is nearly completed, CCASA believes that the web site will always be a “work in progress.”

The CCASA staff would like to thank Jose Delfin, a CCASA member, for his assistance to CCASA in the development of the web site. We believe that you will find the site informative and useful.

An unmarried child who is under the age of 27 and enrolled in an accredited school is eligible to receive health benefits as a dependent on the CCASA / CCSD Health Insurance Plan. Students must be enrolled in 6 credit hours and must submit, once annually, a letter from the registrar’s office verifying that the student is enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours. Verification from the registrar’s office must be sent to Nick Venturini in the Employee Benefits Office in the Education Center by the end of September, 2002, to continue health benefits for the 2002-2003 school year.

1. The revenue, expenditures, and balances within the CCASA Association and Trust Fund Accounts;

2. CCASA election results;

3. President Mark Coleman announced that volunteers are being sought for a number of CCASA committees, as well as, CCASA appointments to school district committees;

4. A review of CCASA / CCSD contract negotiations and areas where tentative agreements have been reached. Additional negotiation sessions will be scheduled when the CEA arbitration decision is rendered;

5. The status of the CCASA office technology upgrade and the CCASA web page development;

6. A review of agenda items from meetings held with Mr. Garcia, Dr. Orci, Dr. Rulffes, Dr. Rice, and CCASA staff;

7. The status of a lawsuit filed by a former CCASA member against CCASA;

8. The status of current contract negotiations with the various health care providers;

9. The progress of the Reclassification Committee and the request for CCASA to fund the final phase of work for Bill Ewing, the out-of-district consultant working with the committee;

10. The District’s written response to the list of non-essential tasks previously submitted by CCASA;

11. The status of CCASA’s Officers and Directors Liability Insurance;

12. The request by the District that each of the bargaining groups participate in Interest Based Negotiations. Training sessions for negotiating team members will be scheduled for October;

13. A review of the resolutions which authorize the CCASA President (Mark Coleman), CCASA Treasurer (Kathy Kulas), CCASA Past President (David Harcourt), CCASA staff (Allin Chandler and Stephen Augspurger) to transact business for the CCASA Association and Trust Fund Accounts;

14. The new presidents of the Clark County Association of Elementary School Principals (Del Bean) and the Clark County Association of Secondary School Principals (Doug Gougar) provided an overview of activities for their respective associations; and

15. A review of the various CCASA activities and the types of assistance provided to CCASA members.