Who We Are
Teachers Health Trust is a self funded health trust which provides medical,
dental and vision benefits to all licensed employees of the Clark County School District.
Mission Statement
To acheive proven excellence in the delivery of health and welfare
benefits of the highest quality for our participants.
Objectives
The Teachers Health Trust objective adopted by the Trustees is to give participants
the right to obtain accurate, readable information about all aspects of the health
plan. We believe that with good information, participants will be able to decide
how best to maximize their own health condition. We provide this opportunity by
allowing participants to:
- Choose health
care providers from a network of health care providers. Choice is imperative. It
is our objective to provide choice. The Trust provides a broad array of choice
that meets the specific needs of its participants.
- Access emergency health care when and
where it is needed.
- Receive services to encourage early
intervention and not to impede access to care because of cost. The Health Trust continues
its efforts to contain all out–of–pocket costs to participants.
In addition, the Health Trust:
- Provides financial security to participants
and their families by holding down health care costs.
- Promotes full participation by all participants as partners.
- Treats all participants with respect. It is important to work
with each individual with full empathy and respect.
- Allows you access to all information concerning yourself and
the Health Trust. All medical records will be treated with utmost confidentiality. The Trust encourages full
access to information by participants.
Board of Trustees
The CCEA formed the Teachers Health Trust and established a Board of Trustees as the governing body. The CCEA President serves as a non-voting observer and appoints seven Trustees (all of whom are licensed employees) who serve a three–year term and may serve consecutive terms. The Chairperson is elected from among the Trustees of the Teachers Health Trust.
The Trustees establish policies, direct overall Trust operations, including employing
professional staff to run the day–to–day operations, consider and approve changes
in plan benefits, manage Trust funds, and approve Trust expenditures.
- Jane Forbes, Chairperson
- Rebecca Moores, Vice–Chairperson
- Brad Truax, Secretary
- Kerri Soper
- Gloria Mason
- Patrick Collins
- Mike Steinbrink
A Brief History
Before the Teachers Health Trust was formed, benefits for licensed employees
were managed by the Clark County School District (CCSD). In the period July 1982
to September 1983, there were three major premium increases – 23.9%, 17.9%, and
29.4%. These increases in the District–managed plan caused the Clark County Education
Association (CCEA) to begin negotiations with the CCSD for a change. The result
of these negotiations was the formation by CCEA of a welfare benefit trust. The
purpose was to enable licensed employees to make decisions relating to their own
welfare benefits. The District's function then and to date is solely ministerial
and limited to paying the Trust the contributions negotiated by CCEA, providing
for payroll deductions for dependent coverage, providing eligibility lists, and
verifying employment.
The CCEA is the exclusive bargaining agent for licensed employees and the Teachers
Health Trust is the exclusive employee welfare benefit carrier for these employees.
The CCEA bargains with the District for funds to provide the basic individual benefits
to licensed employees. The process of payroll deduction is provided to licensed
employees to pay for additional benefits such as dependent health coverage.
From 1983 to 1987, the Teachers Health Trust enjoyed stable rates for all licensed
employees to the extent that it became feasible to add dental and vision benefits.
In 1987, the Trust self–funded the medical indemnity plan and purchased stop–loss
insurance to protect itself from catastrophic loss. The Teachers Health Trust was
successful with this type of arrangement because it allowed the Trustees to purchase
specific services directly from vendors. In 1990, the Teachers Health Trust Board
of Trustees decided to discontinue the services of its third–party administrator
and to self–administer the health and welfare benefits.
As a self–administered plan, the Trust can focus on development of a full complement
of benefits including PPO and HMO medical, dental, and vision plans, as well as
a term life plan specifically designed for its participants. In January of 1995,
the Wellness Division came into being.