Negotiations allow city workers to keep the same level of coverage until the end of the year.
Kitsap Physicians Service and the city of Bremerton have reached an agreement to continue coverage for city employees through the end of this year. KPS notified the city Dec. 21 that it would no longer insure Bremerton employees after February. To keep KPS coverage, the city had to negotiate a more expensive contract. Initially, KPS said it would cost the city 34.28 percent more this year to retain KPS coverage. But the 1-year agreement reached last week raises the city's premiums by a more modest 13.2 percent overall, city Human Resources Manager Carol Conley said.