[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-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],{"_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",6482455,"mediaKeyId","5605785-0bb5442a1696473b8edad0eae3087811","parentId",5605785,"title","Cherokee County staff propose benefit design changes to close $3 million health-cost gap","audioSeconds",281,"startMs",1773000,"endMs",2054000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5605785-0bb5442a1696473b8edad0eae3087811&start=1773&end=2054","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5605785-0bb5442a1696473b8edad0eae3087811/thumbnail_1773000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6482455/Cherokee-County/Georgia/Cherokee-County-staff-propose-benefit-design-changes-to-close-3-million-health-cost-gap","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6482455-17aea6c343d523321934a3ff821f6c24/orig.mp4?Expires=1770460113&Signature=iRm-6rp-jZli2eQEPStGLzcOJdh0woLrAguLJvnuyWWm713xmyHvRcJpG51XoPfmS0LqqW9-dFKRvxsVj5i009WCEykqyW9rF82bAXavmNeCXkHNichCLuGPQjaFqZKIyTY5B2ezTDBDpDuB9p6BigRSf2m8Awf5TUHD6YPHHK5t0vtVewHh78Yo~2CpakIRAmS3qeZeGyRm4qi8-3AIDRA59exXUYVNQYnMTQtA87FQrjSkFcWMF0yL9MPreJelpyzzbiDF~u4VlsaQ2RyG2TkS-zvebwXvke5v-gt-DzZn1LnsGK~OpHY2ZJtCh1UXHCcnoAtzmnTZj4hj1gaRYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Cherokee ","date","2025-08-19T15:06:00Z","article","County management told the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners during the Aug. 19 work session that an actuarial forecast from the county\u0000s benefits consultant projects roughly $3 million in increased health-care costs for 2026 unless plan changes are adopted.

The lede: Jimmy Marcus, presenting results of a 2024 commercial survey and plan-cost projections, said the $3 million figure reflects forecasted claims and a planned 10% employee contribution increase. He said proposed plan-design changes could largely eliminate the projected county budget shortfall.

The nut graf: Management recommended a package of design changes intended to reduce plan richness and move employee contributions toward an 80/20 employer/employee split — a target county officials described as typical for similarly sized governments.

Marcus reviewed county benchmark metrics and said Cherokee County\u0000s 2023 per-capita plan cost was about $18,518 and rose in the following year. He noted county employee contributions currently average roughly 16% of premium and said counties of comparable size tend to be at 20% or higher. To reach the 80/20 goal while avoiding a full $3 million budget increase, presenters proposed changes including raising individual and family deductibles, increasing out-of-pocket maximums, splitting pharmacy and medical deductibles, raising pharmacy mail-order copays, and increasing primary-care and specialist visit copays.

Specific proposed elements discussed included raising individual deductibles from $750 to $1,000 and family from $2,250 to $3,000; raising out-of-pocket maximums (examples given: individual from $2,000 to $3,000; family from $6,000 to $9,000); creating a separate pharmacy deductible and higher mail-order copays; and raising primary-care copays from $25 to $40 and specialist copays from $30 to $50. Presenters said a modeled combination of these changes plus a planned 10% employee share increase would bring the county to the targeted contribution split and eliminate the $3 million projected increase.

Commissioners asked whether the changes would take effect on a calendar-year basis, and staff said they would start in January (the calendar year) with partial-year savings reflected in the county fiscal-year budget. Board members also asked about other options and the potential budget impact if some items were omitted; staff answered that each element carries a modeled dollar value and omitting items would leave a residual budget deficit.

Ending: Managers said the proposed package will be returned to the board for a formal decision at a subsequent meeting, with staff noting the proposal is a recommended county-management plan change to avoid material budget increases.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Cherokee - Board of Commissioners Work Session","oneSentenceSummary","County management presented proposed plan design changes to close an estimated $3 million increase in 2026 health-care costs, including higher deductibles, separate drug deductibles, and higher copays.","taxTitle","Cherokee County, Georgia","taxId",12793,"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},6482460,"Cherokee County district attorney highlights trial activity, service dog support and lab backlog fix",795,73000,868000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5605785-0bb5442a1696473b8edad0eae3087811&start=73&end=868","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5605785-0bb5442a1696473b8edad0eae3087811/thumbnail_73000.jpg","/articles/6482460/Cherokee-County/Georgia/Cherokee-County-district-attorney-highlights-trial-activity-service-dog-support-and-lab-backlog-fix","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6482460-be072857fa999afce148dd129952e251/orig.mp4?Expires=1770460113&Signature=KMzS2AttMzwhYygNShzGH9Wf~B8QSJkT-doOfbKvURoMMeTrS-~TuNlaoI7AZMv~UYYHJRlmporlrLbBk5wTYz~0WUdRscVbmkKqYsjf9yj6u5NEWq8CTWbXR4ad3qoUnmRgASiM971VItmyfMfQvy~c45OPl3KcoLXWZOQreN~C4YPrS7lO73ihguOiHLKW9m2fhwyJhzbW-NrlcSY5RHCgJQcvHV3qXZsj~mof68wbfK2X3Ni8Kgi3kebixeWTx6qR77fJHsxFrp-JrIrrKKqSCegHrlZrnw22hQXVpSHhQc5AB3qFOuKnWQJ7oWZhbloRfRxeYcC-sjaSMYbr1A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Susan Treadaway, the elected district attorney for the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit, briefed the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners on office staffing, recent trial activity and new victim-support tools during the county\u0000s Aug. 19 work session.

Treadway opened by outlining the office\u0000s mission and staffing levels, saying the office includes \"27 prosecutors, 21 investigators, 10 victim witness advocates, 8 secretaries and 5 other support personnel.\" She credited team members for heavy trial work in 2024 and into 2025, including back-to-back superior-court murder trials that drew national media attention.

The nut graf: The DA\u0000s presentation emphasized increasing caseloads and courtroom work while highlighting two operational changes intended to speed case processing and improve victim support: the placement of a service dog with the domestic violence unit and a new process with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation that reduced a backlog in drug-sample testing.

Treadway introduced Parker, a service dog assigned to the DA\u0000s office. Parker\u0000s handler is Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Rachel Ash, who leads the office\u0000s domestic-violence unit. Treadway said Parker \"is specially trained to sense anxiety in others and then react in a way that brings about a calming, relaxing environment for that individual\" and that caregivers and victims use the dog in court-preparation settings. The DA said Parker joined the office in October 2023 through the nonprofit Tales of Hope and that children who meet Parker have created drawings shown in the office.

Treadway summarized case closures by category in 2024 and through mid-2025: \"Our office closed 606 drug cases, 547 juvenile cases, 378 persons cases and 342 property cases in 2024,\" and she said probation-revocation matters accounted for a large share of repeat court activity. She also said, \"By midpoint 2025, our office conducted more superior court trials than we did in all of 2024,\" noting multiple active jury trials the week of the presentation.

On lab testing, Treadway described work with GBI Director Chris Hosey and the Prosecuting Attorney\u0000s Council that she said produced policy changes at the GBI crime lab. She said those changes \"have not only eliminated the backlog of substances for Cherokee County, but also include testing of those certain substances which once required outsourced private lab testing at our expense.\" Treadway said the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit is the first in the state to have eliminated its backlog and described a guaranteed 30-day turnaround for the revised preliminary testing process. She and the board discussed that the process provides preliminary results that speed nontrial resolutions while full testing remains required if a case goes to trial.

Treadway also described a voluntary change in courtroom workflow: senior secretaries in the DA\u0000s office now draft courtroom sentences previously prepared by the Department of Community Supervision. She told commissioners that change \"has resulted in more accurate final case dispositions and has additionally saved county and state resources\" and that the Department of Community Supervision reallocated probation officers to field supervision as a result.

The presentation included awards and media coverage of the office\u0000s work. Treadway noted staff recognition, including ADA Rachel Murphy being named Prosecutor of the Year by the Georgia Retail Organized Crime Alliance, and cited prosecutions handled by the office for other jurisdictions when conflicts required outside prosecutors.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about lab changes, Parker\u0000s role, and workload. Chair comments praised the office\u0000s work, and commissioners expressed appreciation for staff community engagement and interjurisdictional assistance.

Ending: Treadway closed by making copies of the office\u0000s most recent annual report available to commissioners and offering to meet individually to discuss details.

","District Attorney Susan Treadaway told commissioners the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit\u0000DA\u0000office\u0000has expanded trials and closed a GBI drug-testing backlog, and described the new service dog Parker\u0000who supports victims in court.","actionData","errors"]

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Cherokee County staff propose benefit design changes to close $3 million health-cost gap

Cherokee County district attorney highlights trial activity, service dog support and lab backlog fix