Vermilion Parish Schools will have new health insurance compan

The Vermilion Parish School Board is saying goodbye to United Healthcare Insurance Company and hello to Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Insurance Company.
United Healthcare has provided insurance to the parish school system for the last 14 years.
Despite the school board’s health insurance committee 6-4 vote to recommend keeping United Healthcare Insurance, the regular school board voted 4-3 to hire Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Insurance.
Voting for Blue Cross were board members Sara Duplechain, Laura LeBeouf, Luddy Herpin and Kibbie Pillette.
For United Healthcare were board members Anthony Fontana, Chris Gautreaux and Stacy Landry.
Board member Ricky Broussard was not at the meeting.
Phillip Sellers, the CFO for the school board, said the next plan is to set up a meeting with Blue Cross Blue Shield representatives. He is hoping to have a meeting this week.
Before the vote Thursday, there was plenty of discussion between the board members.
Board member Stacy Landry, who is president of the insurance committee, said both companies are great companies and would provide great coverage. However, he recommended staying with United Healthcare because it would save the school board money.
School board member Sara Duplechain, who sits on the insurance committee, said, “It is all about customer service. When we (school board) needed something and had no where else to go, United Healthcare never once came and said, ‘Lets renegotiate the network.’ They did it in March with Abbeville General. Why was that not done last summer? That could have helped us with claims. It could have been better. I feel customer service was not what we needed.”
On Thursday morning, some school employees took a survey asking what insurance company they would prefer to have, Blue Cross Blue Shield or United Healthcare.
There were 360 who wanted Blue Cross Blue Shield, while 117 wanted United Healthcare.
School Board President Anthony Fontana said only twice in 20 years that the school board voted against the insurance committee’s recommendation.
The first time was a month ago and the second time was Thursday night.
Fontana wanted to stay with United Heathcare because it would save the school board money.
School Board member Laura LeBeouf was upset about an e-mail that went out 90 minutes before the insurance committee members met to vote.
“I don’t appreciate an email that went out to the insurance committee an hour and a half before with information to sway committee members,” said LeBeouf before the vote. “You do not slam something in my face. I am not going down with a board member or an individual over something unethical at the last minute. My decision will be based on facts and facts only. These little games need to stop.”
LeBouef said she will make her decsion and live with it. “People are tired of the games. It is a three-ring circus. When board members have to go get their own information. Show the figures on a piece of paper. What are we hiding?”
She did not say what was in the e-mail or who sent it.