They say change is good, and for the Mercer County Housing Authority, it really is good, because by changing insurance carriers, the agency will save $67,257 next year.

The agency board voted Wednesday to switch from Blue Cross/Blue Shield to Health Assurance, since the former had raised costs 20 percent to 30 percent over five years.

"We were trying to find ways to bring costs down and maintain our level of service," said L. Dewitt Boosel, authority executive director.

After researching alternative plans and companies, Health Assurance rose to the top of the heap, partly because of its high level of customer service.

In 1999, the Harrisburg-based company was ranked sixth in a Newsweek magazine study of the 100 best health plans across the country.

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