[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6261613,"mediaKeyId","3121058-82d3edac2440c8c5bbd7095cc5e83174","parentId",3121058,"title","Votes at a glance: Missoula County administrative meeting approvals and appointments","audioSeconds",1070,"startMs",84000,"endMs",1154000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3121058-82d3edac2440c8c5bbd7095cc5e83174&start=84&end=1154","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3121058-82d3edac2440c8c5bbd7095cc5e83174/thumbnail_84000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6261613/Missoula-County/Montana/Votes-at-a-glance-Missoula-County-administrative-meeting-approvals-and-appointments","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6261613-41f13d8d1a1cdcdc1ca502da67fdd12a/orig.mp4?Expires=1775612101&Signature=AUqjtkfz1hNDj9WCjHeoSeyIoyF8Xhi7LLZv6eAwvl6qyUSCjttzEwCYYD2TUG2VvThccouEluYxQUw3vUrCACTlVFOz~8xRlQnQ~Awep0brxYwi7fgCLMWfvrXCRsehcYy1jECreBwK1tirq5Psgg8op7CiYazRJxqAzIltE0D8rBw6nNRj~bM9aqzSQuDxnrzAiv3qSrps9BxVDfrK-Wp7If2DMRRGhxGBg4-iKFS8fo5CjWgqEajDOV~WQODH52NI4s7jzHsDlEW9yPpIxXpTX3VgYv-l9kJ-pv-vTEkDHq47KCQEClJNZ2qh9rohhJFIw1sN-3ONDnkOQD41Cw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Missoula County, WI ","date","2025-04-25T11:53:44.17Z","article","The Missoula County Board of Commissioners recorded the following formal actions during its administrative meeting.

Votes at a glance
- Consent agenda (4 items): Approved by voice vote. The consent package included a late amendment to the definition of chiropractic care in the benefits plan (redefining covered chiropractic care to services provided by a chiropractor only rather than by \"a chiropractor and a doctor\"). The transcript records the amendment and a voice vote approving the consent agenda.

- Action items 1\u0000\u0000\u00005 (rural impact grant contracts): Approved by voice vote. Contracts awarded to five community organizations totaling $15,200 (see individual item descriptions in the separate grants summary).

- Item 6 (employee medical premium increase and plan amendments): Approved by voice vote. Board approved a 10% across-the-board premium increase for FY2026 and plan amendments to out-of-network coinsurance (reduce to 50/50) and to require member engagement with third-party pharmacy assistance programs.

- Appointments:
- Swan Valley Community Council: Kirsten Fraser appointed to fill an open seat through May 31, 2027. The board moved and seconded the appointment and approved it by voice vote. The record notes multiple written endorsements for Fraser.
- Weed Control Board: Mary Von Hoffman appointed to fill a vacant term through Dec. 31, 2027; approved by voice vote. Meeting comments described Von Hoffman as experienced and interested in serving.

- Local Tax Appeal Board: Action deferred. The clerk reported additional applicants were received after initial interviews; the board postponed appointment to allow review of the new applications.

Where the transcript recorded only a voice vote, no roll-call tallies were provided. Motions were moved and seconded on the record; the transcript did not name all movers and seconders consistently.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Commissioners' Administrative Public Meeting April 24, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Summary of formal actions recorded in the meeting: consent agenda, five rural grants, a 10% benefits premium increase and two appointments; the local tax appeal board appointment was deferred.","taxTitle","Missoula County, Montana","taxId",4049,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6261618,"Missoula County approves 10% increase to employee medical premiums for FY2026",647,386000,1033000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3121058-82d3edac2440c8c5bbd7095cc5e83174&start=386&end=1033","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3121058-82d3edac2440c8c5bbd7095cc5e83174/thumbnail_386000.jpg","/articles/6261618/Missoula-County/Montana/Missoula-County-approves-10-increase-to-employee-medical-premiums-for-FY2026","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6261618-ec58826d4ef928f9fa5d481d54ccfd6b/orig.mp4?Expires=1775612101&Signature=mZySfcw6Va6VwTSY21pj6OwGF7h~YSaLc2JgaS2DqQLt9YQivho8x05KOvwqXr4i8ih-Bq6sFtPno9JqsePS~H7QCmF1M8q0-YR7q6ZJF3yu9l2v~BSrWfd88OjSsVvEj10-Lr7gyvWKdiaqLKrPrnGtdYbEtMOQ2F2IqEaizEypNHrSPap0alNjhKh2nUmOCkUv9s5hGKcL6aNw4e15GAiWH4uCq5wKaFKb7eox06YPdLr7vME~rjlACmvPidQJ1RJo~tnNfBve9H8IMIstHq1PRnTGUQMnUidkSKhJbWvBeoTeBMf9dzURvoiErECIpV1Gui4FftAoR5D0RGf8IA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Missoula County Board of Commissioners approved a 10% increase to employee medical premium rates across plan tiers, effective July 1 for fiscal year 2026.

County benefits staff told the board the increase responds primarily to rapidly rising pharmacy costs and growing facility claims. \"The primary driver, again, remains pharmacy benefit spend,\" a county benefits administrator said during the meeting, adding that specialty pharmaceuticals have become more common and \"it\u0000s not uncommon for our plan and other employer funded plans to see a fair number of members receiving drugs that are in the 5 to $10,000 a month range.\"

Officials also cited rising hospital and personnel costs. The benefits presenter said local facilities reported substantially higher nursing costs and that the county has begun to see facility contract rates that are multiple hundreds of percent of Medicare: \"When we say a percentage, these are in the hundreds of percents ... between a 200% and a 300% of Medicare ... in some spaces, we're seeing our line costs reach up to 500 to 600% of Medicare costs,\" the presenter said on the record.

To address cost pressures, the board approved two plan amendments included with the rate change:
- Change out-of-network coinsurance from the current 70/30 split to a 50/50 split to give the plan negotiating leverage with local facilities.
- Require members who would benefit from third-party pharmacy assistance programs to engage with those programs so savings can pass through to the county plan; staff said foundations often will pay a large share of specialty drug costs but members must apply directly.

The benefits presenter said the county\u0000s plan has seen pharmacy spending rise from roughly $1 million a year to similar amounts in a single month in recent years; weekly pharmacy invoices were described on the record as between about $80,000 and $200,000. The presenter also noted that roughly eight years of plan experience informed discussions about other options (for example, assessing whether employees with other government health coverage might reduce county costs), but staff emphasized the need to maintain benefits for affected employees.

A commissioner moved to approve item 6 (the premium increase and plan amendments); the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The transcript does not include a roll-call tally.

The record did not specify projected premium revenue, actuarial analyses, or the number of employees affected beyond a general reference to the county plan population. The presenter described the county as a self-funded employer plan serving roughly 2,500 lives, but a precise headcount on the record was not provided.","Commissioners approved a 10% across-the-board increase to the county\u0000s medical premium rates, citing sharp rises in specialty pharmacy costs and hospital facility charges; plan amendments to out-of-network coinsurance and pharmacy program participation were also approved.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6261623,"Missoula County approves five rural impact grants totaling $15,200",196,167000,363000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3121058-82d3edac2440c8c5bbd7095cc5e83174&start=167&end=363","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3121058-82d3edac2440c8c5bbd7095cc5e83174/thumbnail_167000.jpg","/articles/6261623/Missoula-County/Montana/Missoula-County-approves-five-rural-impact-grants-totaling-15200","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6261623-9128cc7c762ac7fc32a233a34a753746/orig.mp4?Expires=1775612101&Signature=OyunQi4lNScMYEbAKyACWZSVYN894sqhQQguyaSMACwtk8Etcvvu-vG0hYCEen2JfEak4CsIoxNAvmc50oSUmVRsqho1d~4CLYCFbTD~s51Pc0NHx6bkyVNpw1CEaD-CgDRoq9KVZ~Gwtt~W~Ec6vJwuUJCkbT2q5TJTIImYnhkS35azbJw1Wd~JfFfMuujs-W~c9CQ-clinBaInX1p~E-i-txW8dcxjcQYw7ur8Q4Pm~p8Mu0E63TLdNW59RvrevFOFn877fCGZYL3~Ig8t~nbfJsAG-ERyA~tHCNOD5PM-AwjrEm-NTLHZSIz-MxiODFUGGwKxWBJLS3DT96qf8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Missoula County Board of Commissioners voted to approve five rural impact grants totaling $15,200 at its administrative meeting. The contracts fund community events, an exhibit, playground equipment, building maintenance and youth programming in several rural Missoula County communities.

County staff said the awards are part of the county\u0000s 2025 Impact Grants program and are intended to support community projects that \"enhance the quality of areas in the county.\" Thomas Clarabitic, who presented the items, described each contract during the meeting.

The awards approved were:
- Building a Better Society Community Outreach: $3,740 to host a community cleanup and flower distribution event for Scenic Lake residents.
- Friends of Two Rivers Inc., d/b/a Bonner Mill Town History Center: $2,500 to develop an exhibit featuring a 2,700-pound vintage safe, to be displayed at the Fennel House Building in Bonner and available virtually through a museum app.
- Bonner PTA: $4,000 to pay equipment costs for a new playground at the community park on Bonner School grounds, including an updated play structure, a volleyball court, new basketball backboards and swings.
- Upper Swan Valley Historical Society: $4,000 to hire a contractor to power-wash and seal exterior logs on the Lindbergh Lake log cabin, which houses Swan Valley Museum collections and serves as a local gathering space.
- Swan Mission Academics Arts Athletics Resource Team (SMART): $960 to deliver a series of Friday clubs for children in Condon focused on journalism and graphic design at the Swan Valley branch of the Missoula Public Library.

\"These are all contracts for the rural grant program,\" Thomas Clarabitic said while outlining the projects. Commissioners moved to approve items 1 through 5 as presented; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

The grants are contract awards; no additional funding sources or implementation timelines beyond those described in the contract summaries were specified in the meeting record. The county did not record detailed roll-call tallies in the transcript; the clerk reported the measures passed by voice vote.

The projects are scheduled to be carried out by the named community organizations; contact information, contract start dates and reporting requirements were not specified on the record.","The Missoula County Board of Commissioners approved five contracts through the county\u0000s rural impact grant program to support local community projects in Scenic Lake, Bonner, Bonner School grounds, Lindbergh Lake, and Condon.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Missoula County administrative meeting approvals and appointments

Missoula County approves 10% increase to employee medical premiums for FY2026

Missoula County approves five rural impact grants totaling $15,200