School workers get new health option

Thursday, June 17, 2004 | 9:25 a.m.

The Clark County School District's custodians, food service workers, bus drivers, office staff and other support employees have a new option for health care insurance.

NevadaCare, part of a Phoenix-based network of providers, has been added to the list of insurance plans that the School District's 8,900 support employees may choose from. Support employees may also sign up with Health Plan of Nevada, administered by Sierra Health.

Informational enrollment meetings about changes to the insurance options will be held throughout the summer, said George Ann Rice, associate superintendent of human resources for the district. NevadaCare's coverage plan takes effect Sept. 15.

NevadaCare was chosen by a joint selection committee made up of district staff members and union representatives, said Joe Furtado, executive director of the Education Support Employees Assocation, which represents most of the district's 5,000 support employees.

"The goal ... was to give our people choice and improved health insurance coverage," Furtado said in a prepared statement. "I believe our members will agree that we have succeeded."