[{"_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":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6265489,"mediaKeyId","3090813-b414cbaf1bca7c3e06a9f511be111d2c","parentId",3090813,"title","EPISD expands Healthy Living program and no‑cost employee clinics; staff urges greater employee engagement","audioSeconds",506,"startMs",5368000,"endMs",5874000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3090813-b414cbaf1bca7c3e06a9f511be111d2c&start=5368&end=5874","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3090813-b414cbaf1bca7c3e06a9f511be111d2c/thumbnail_5368000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6265489/Texas/EPISD-expands-Healthy-Living-program-and-nocost-employee-clinics-staff-urges-greater-employee-engagement","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6265489-a2b56bd75eec7ba0c7bed70304773df1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771049993&Signature=cD47CxbKHd0hdWSEjDnDps3Zcr~gHixrP9cSAAdHL0KJ-0yVaO1O1XLqquVWO8GDfvoSJShn8fZh-zPbbZnYtAJsUxqvlJNORYN0eeWHXy7FdhUGsupiLuK7tvoDnwBitwgpKdKzNPF5GkpICcRqP4hHisNK9syRRY2KYNGuODcGszopfEtfHDg-wi9Z~Fl4M0GnU72A33CATYtAH-hGjHJMqrrrUN~OaewnJSqbsODZJoxEBPhnjVjd7t7tk9s2PbKTBDjJ9jVcmOFmhb3HMui1IqvpGmUw~JbiqA~ULRfaS24kmckbDYyy7J6GpkK~WZeuZayZO2pDwmqRwgjOlw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-23T08:29:40.177Z","article","El Paso Independent School District staff on Thursday highlighted the district's Healthy Living employee engagement program and three no‑cost clinics available to employees and enrolled family members, and urged trustees to promote higher utilization.

\"Our vision is to be a one‑stop website ... to educate, support, and empower employees to improve and maintain their overall health and well‑being,\" said a Healthy Living presenter, summarizing the program's mission. Staff displayed a new \"Walking Spree\" registration and said more than 600 people signed up within a month.

Nut graf: Staff framed the clinics and wellness programming as both employee benefits and tools to reduce medical costs by shifting care from higher‑cost emergency and urgent care settings to lower‑cost clinics and telehealth options. Staff told the board the clinics have had nearly 4,000 employee visits this school year.

Program details: Presenters said EPISD partners with Premier Care Clinics to operate three sites (Central campus, Paragon/Mesa, and George Dieter on the East Side) and that services are available at no cost to employees with an employee ID; family members covered on the district plan may also use the clinics. Staff described services as acute care, routine exams and certain screenings including sports physicals and annual health‑fair screenings. Presenters also described a $1,000 district HSA deposit for eligible CDHP participants and incentives linked to participating in screenings and wellness activities.

Trustee questions and clarifications: Trustees asked where the clinic locations are and whether services include sports physicals and mammogram partnerships. Staff replied that sports physicals are provided at no cost and that the district partners with local imaging providers for mammogram screenings during awareness campaigns.

Scope and participation: Presenters said the Healthy Living program had grown participation from about 2,941 participants in 2022–23 to roughly 6,464 participants in 2024–25 across programs, events and clinical visits. Staff stressed that many wellness classes are taught by district employees (art, cooking, pottery) and that the program uses incentives and competitions to drive engagement.

Ending: Staff asked trustees to continue promoting the program and to support expanded screenings and engagement measures that, staff argued, can support prevention and reduce long‑term health costs for employees and the district.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Special Meeting of Board Of Trustees, El Paso Independent School District April 22, 2025 9:00am","oneSentenceSummary","District staff reviewed Healthy Living initiatives, including an employee walking challenge, wellness classes taught by staff, and three no‑cost employee clinics. Presenters encouraged higher utilization to reduce medical costs and support preventive care.","taxTitle","EL PASO ISD, School Districts, Texas","taxId",13542,"location","Texas","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":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6265495,"EPISD budget workshop lays out deficits, school‑closure savings and tradeoffs as trustees weigh reopening options",6167,402000,6569000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3090813-b414cbaf1bca7c3e06a9f511be111d2c&start=402&end=6569","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3090813-b414cbaf1bca7c3e06a9f511be111d2c/thumbnail_402000.jpg","/articles/6265495/Texas/EPISD-budget-workshop-lays-out-deficits-schoolclosure-savings-and-tradeoffs-as-trustees-weigh-reopening-options","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6265495-c7f7a652cd261c5ff52b42b8a696a1bb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771049993&Signature=Ii7Ezo0hfShxkLIcCkBbmJCxrKvpBp7js5H4ncBR1nBm7qhoRkMLb1zwOtDaof1sWoeB4DgJQD1Lj-H49DHTDNPqtaUVn-NIzs7dFzr2gCO9mteNqdU24dgEZBCo92sXGNwdWEdZgtsEskiLA2e6vhz9fUHHd3OCWJTo9Ou6sewGssJOJq-DmEgC3w512YBDLrQ4oMbIeahVS3JSHzhTMOF1dmrFaq7ZMnvE94GrBn4ZkQa-54AcWH9NM2yH17x3q-4uOsxrm70219d6bwESElJc4-FWeiLHQ3AP0Xz-rW3F2PwwYAjW9waiph24umckCbJ9R1F4WO80z2MOWws-Ng__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","El Paso Independent School District administrators told trustees on Thursday that their latest budget snapshots show a multi‑million‑dollar shortfall that varies sharply depending on state funding and whether previously closed campuses are reopened.

\"When we look at this snapshot ... our shortfall at this point is $17,000,000,\" said a district presenter summarizing a budget projection that assumes six campus closures carried forward. In a separate scenario that assumes no closures, staff showed a possible shortfall of roughly $31,600,000.

Nut graf: The presentation framed closures as a fiscal strategy to right‑size facilities and maximize classroom allocations. Staff also described how different state basic‑allotment outcomes would alter the district's revenue outlook and flagged a proposed legislative requirement that 40% of any new state money be allocated to compensation.

Key figures and drivers: Staff told trustees the district is currently using an 87.5% ADA (average daily attendance) projection for revenue snapshots—down from an earlier 90% assumption—and explained this more conservative attendance estimate reduced projected revenue. Staff also recapped proposed state basic allotment increases under discussion in Austin and the effect on the district's bottom line: a larger allotment would materially reduce the projected shortfall.

Staff outlined how school closures affect personnel and operating costs. The presentation said eliminating six campuses would remove roughly 279 positions from next year's personnel rolls, producing about $14.5 million in personnel savings in the model presented. Administrators noted some operating savings for vacant buildings are limited because the district still incurs maintenance, utilities, security and insurance costs for unused facilities; they estimated an occupied building's operating and maintenance cost at about $400,000 annually versus about $40,000 for a surplus (vacant) property.

Trustees repeatedly asked for more granular, audit‑ready data comparing budgeted personnel counts to actual expenditures. Trustee lines of questioning focused on the difference between a position eliminated from the budget (position removal) and an operational vacancy filled by temporary or substitute labor. \"I think the question is how many FTE positions were vacant last year versus this year,\" a trustee said, asking for a breakdown of funded versus actually filled positions and the use of temporary contracts.

Surplus properties and one‑time fund balance options: Several trustees asked for the aggregate appraisal values of the district's surplus inventory and how much one‑time revenue would be available from selling those properties. The district said it has 16 properties on the surplus roll that could be sold and noted past sales such as a Northeast tract to Texas Tech produced a multi‑million‑dollar one‑time infusion used previously for a one‑time payout. Staff warned sale proceeds are one‑time revenue that cannot be used for ongoing expenses.

Security, deferred maintenance and capital outlook: Facilities staff gave trustees ballpark figures for capital work that would be required to modernize older campuses: an estimated average of about $10,000,000 per campus to replace or retrofit HVAC systems to refrigerated (centralized) air, additional electrical and control upgrades, and potential roof replacements averaging about $3,000,000 per elementary campus when needed. Trustees asked for a clearer accounting of the long‑term deferred maintenance backlog and the incremental cost of making a closed campus usable again, including safety upgrades (vestibules, panic systems, safety film) estimated at roughly $250,000–$500,000 per campus.

Policy context and timelines: The presentation reiterated the district will build a budget using a conservative baseline (current law basic allotment of $6,160) and said the board must submit any budget recommendations to the superintendent's office by the publicized Friday deadline. Staff outlined remaining board workshops on May 6 and June 3 with a proposed budget adoption on June 18, noting that extended legislative action in Austin could require amendments.

Ending: Trustees asked staff to return with detailed vacancy reconciliation (budgeted vs. actual personnel spending), contract savings tied to outsourced services (for example, stepping‑stone or long‑term substitute contracts), the aggregate appraisal values for surplus properties, and comparisons to peer districts' administrative cost ratios. No formal budget decisions were made at the workshop; staff will bring revised budget scenarios to future board workshops.","Staff presented multiple budget scenarios showing a range of shortfalls depending on state funding assumptions and whether closed campuses are reopened; trustees pressed for more granular data on vacancies, contract offsets and surplus property values.",{"_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":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6265499,"EPISD staff recommends $5 million infusion and 15% employee premium increase to stabilize self‑funded health plan",434,1642000,2076000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3090813-b414cbaf1bca7c3e06a9f511be111d2c&start=1642&end=2076","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3090813-b414cbaf1bca7c3e06a9f511be111d2c/thumbnail_1642000.jpg","/articles/6265499/Texas/EPISD-staff-recommends-5-million-infusion-and-15-employee-premium-increase-to-stabilize-selffunded-health-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6265499-281469efd628d5a383a0c41cf82177a7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771049993&Signature=ZCBwnkvD94F7hsTlxnwVPK15yz8SAmUe1NLd84NjL0KPtzhBk7fEu8GIgf9HD58a~lvHM4RF4zw8n9h5vU1O5gzAfyPNZzUN9x28Sm1A6df5wo3UstaEZuswNS6iq9aa57CJNfXLlUOYO7eM3IeUEaupXg4FTCZmxLHkGSl3Ym7QNfdGZloztqAfN~ah7VXrHog3~06F1Em-uQzgcWqloVwMdRGSAXaq8X2pEU-iAf1B5835pF-Dpydbu-jeGR0Be8ETP2oTjX59~fUP1NCRDRODckow0yRXxlDFlPWFM-kYURbhzo4SBYeVTs8OygtUHgMvMQTKosxx62oO3DlHcQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","El Paso Independent School District staff recommended Thursday that the district add $5,000,000 to its health plan and raise employee contributions 15% to address rising medical and pharmacy claims and dwindling plan reserves.

The recommendation came in a budget workshop presentation on employee benefits. \"After several meetings with staff over the past few months, the recommendation is to increase the district funding by $5,000,000 and increase employee contributions by 15%,\" said Liz Bebo of HUB Consulting, a presenter on the district's health plan.

The proposal is intended to shore up EPISD's self-funded plan, which staff said is running a structural shortfall because employee contributions and district funding have not kept pace with claims. \"We do see that the health plan fund itself is experiencing a short fall created when contributions don't cover the health plan costs,\" Bebo said, adding that health fund reserves are \"diminishing,\" which in turn puts pressure on the general fund.

Nut graf: The recommendation is advisory and was presented for the board's consideration during budget development, not adopted at the workshop. Staff said the district must balance protecting benefits with long-term fiscal sustainability; they showed several scenarios for how the suggested changes would affect the 2026 budget and forecasted health‑plan results under different assumptions.

Most important facts: Presenters told trustees EPISD's medical cost trend in 2024 was 11.5% and pharmacy was 19.5%, above national modeling cited by the consultants. Staff described key drivers as high‑cost claimants, specialty medications for cancer, increased use of GLP-1 class drugs for diabetes/weight loss, and COVID-era delayed care that materialized as claims.

Implementation details and alternatives: Staff proposed supplementing the funding change with contract negotiations with Cigna around administrative fee holidays and improved pharmacy rebates. \"If we can make those improvements, then, the district would adopt extensions to the current contract,\" a staff presenter said, describing potential administrative fee holidays and an approximately $500,000 improvement in pharmacy rebates beginning July 1 under an extension.

Trustees asked detailed operational questions about plan design and employee impact. Chief Human Capital Management Officer Patty Cortez explained district contributions since 2019 amount to roughly $26,000,000 in operating funds infused into the health program, and clarified the district has intentionally not increased employee premiums for four years to shield paychecks during a difficult compensation environment. She said the district also contributes to health savings accounts (HSA) for employees on the consumer‑directed plan.

Staff presented alternative projections that show different results depending on timing and assumptions. On a calendar‑year projection staff said the recommended changes would produce a small surplus of $343,000 for 2026; on a fiscal‑year conversion that accounts for phased employer and employee changes staff showed a possible surplus of about $3.9 million.

Plan design specifics explained to trustees included per-member-per-month (PEPM) cost comparisons and deductibles: staff said CDHP (high‑deductible) plan cost per member per month was about $447 while the traditional PPO cost PEPM was $574; the CDHP deductible is $3,300 and the PPO deductible is $1,000 with a $5,000 out‑of‑pocket maximum. Staff also described a $1,000 HSA district contribution for employees on the CDHP option and said some members are ineligible for HSA deposits due to Medicare/TRICARE rules.

Questions and concerns raised: Trustees stressed mental‑health access under a high‑deductible plan, the equity of shifting costs to employees, and the need for more detailed utilization data on who is using mental‑health services in each plan. Board members also asked why EPISD's trends exceed national averages and asked staff to compare regional districts. \"When we look at 2023 costs versus 2024, those are the things that are driving the trend increases on the EPISD,\" Bebo said.

Next steps and status: Staff presented the recommendation as part of the district's ongoing budget development work and sought trustee direction; the board did not vote on the recommendation in the workshop. Staff said final decisions will be taken as part of the formal 2025–26 budget process and may be adjusted based on final state funding and the negotiated Cigna contract terms.

Ending: Staff asked trustees to submit feedback by the district's stated deadline so the health plan proposals can be reflected in coming budget drafts; no formal action occurred at the workshop.

","District staff told trustees a combination of a $5 million district contribution and a 15% raise in employee contributions would be needed to sustain EPISD's self-funded health plan amid rising medical and pharmacy costs, and proposed contract and utilization strategies to reduce future pressure.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

EPISD expands Healthy Living program and no‑cost employee clinics; staff urges greater employee engagement

EPISD budget workshop lays out deficits, school‑closure savings and tradeoffs as trustees weigh reopening options

EPISD staff recommends $5 million infusion and 15% employee premium increase to stabilize self‑funded health plan