Members of the Mississippi County Quorum Court Insurance Committee met Thursday to discuss arbitration plans and legal action taken against the former insurance company for unpaid claims in 2019.
Mississippi County joined with several other claimants including Clay County, Crittenden County, Cross County, Hot Springs County, Jefferson County, Lawrence County and Synergy HR, LLC in a suit against Underwriting Management Experts, LLC, et al and Gerber Life Insurance Company, over defaulting on insurance claims.
Justice Aaron Fleeman, chair, opened the meeting thanking the committee for electing him to chair the insurance committee.
“I will do my best to chair this committee to the best of my ability,” he said.
Other members of the insurance committee, all present, are Justices Betty Hepler, Cecil McDonald, Reggie Cullom and Molly Jackson.
Attorney Jeremy Thomas gave an update on the arbitration process leading up to a future hearing.
“We will have a conference call with the American Arbitration Association (AAA) to set a hearing date,” Thomas said. “We proposed September and the insurance company wants to wait until March of next year. For the mediation we have proposed April and they have proposed September. We want it soon as we can.”
Newly-elected Justice Reggie Cullom said he is new to the QC but he is not new to dealing with insurance. He said they need to know how much is owed per person. He also said he would like to see the contract with the present insurance company.
“One of the perks for working for Mississippi County is the insurance and we have to compete but also take care of our people,” he said.
He expressed his concern that the same thing not happen again.
Thomas expressed reservations on being able to settle through mediation.
Several questions were asked such as can the county be reimbursed for any outstanding bills paid before the settlement, the best way to get an exact amount, if the county wins, and they don’t have any money what would be the collection process, possibility of discounted amounts being accepted, and how long will it take and how long will employees have to wait.
The amount for unpaid claims for Mississippi County was listed at $653,349.29. The total for all of the claimants total $2,692,521.37.
Justice Cullom also expressed his concern concerning employees with outstanding medical bills being locked out of medical care.
Thomas said he would keep the committee updated. He said they would need one representative from each county to be disposed showing how this is affecting people every day.
Finance director Kelli Jones said she gets a lot of complaints.
Justice Tobye McClanahan asked if they could have affidavits prepared for people to fill out with their specific complaints and let them know the county is in arbitration in an effort to get the claims paid. Those affidavits could possibly be used in the arbitration process.
“It will let the people know we are working on it on their behalf,” she said.