Schools

Supt. Bing: Cigna Deserves Praise for Saving School Jobs

Bloomfield Schools official thanks insurance giant for deferring scheduled payments.

Bloomfield Schools Superintendent Jason Bing thanked CIGNA for their "public humanitarian commitment to NJ public education" after the insurance company agreed to let the school district defer payments on a $2.1 million settlement.

In a press release, Bing extended his sincere thanks to Mr. Charlie Catalano, President of CIGNA healthcare for the organization’s extremely generous accommodation in assisting this district with the 2013–2014 budget.

Bing described CIGNA’s decision to let the Board to defer scheduled payments to the health insurance account as a sign of "humanitarian generosity."

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"The Board and Administration stand in commitment to public education and extend many thanks for CIGNA’s accommodations which have allowed teachers to return to the classroom to deliver instruction; the reason why we are all part of public education," Bing wrote in the letter.

In March, Bing announced that the majority of staff jobs slated to be cut were restored after reaching an agreement with Cigna. In addition, programs relegated to the chopping block, including sports and extracurricular and after school programs, were returned to the budget.

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Bloomfield Schools Superintendent Jason Bing told the hundreds gathered in the BHS auditorium for the final public hearing on the budget that Cigna had earlier that day agreed to defer a $500,000 payment from the district. Bing said the payment, part of a $2.1 million settlement the district owes the insurance carrier, will be made next year. Bing said the payment will be budgeted for and will not disrupt the district as it threatened to this year.


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