In a pivotal meeting on September 29, 2025, the Douglas County Human Resources Committee addressed significant changes to employee health benefits, emphasizing a commitment to not pass increased costs onto employees this year. The preliminary renewal for the county's health insurance is projected to rise by 39%, largely due to high claims, prompting discussions on how to manage these expenses effectively.

Committee members highlighted the challenges of maintaining a self-insured health plan, noting that the county has seen a consistent rise in claims. To mitigate costs, they are considering strategies such as "lasering out" high-cost individuals, although this would mean absorbing those expenses internally. Despite these challenges, the committee remains hopeful that the stop-loss rates will decrease in the future.

In addition to health insurance, the meeting also covered updates on vision and dental benefits. The vision plan will see an increase in the frame allowance, which is expected to benefit employees. However, dental administration fees are set to rise by 12.3%, amounting to an additional $12,000 annually. The committee successfully negotiated a freeze on these fees, limiting increases to 9% for two years or 11% for three years.

The committee also discussed the flexible spending account, which is projected to cost approximately $303,300 annually. They plan to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) next year to explore options for reducing these fees.

Overall, the committee's decisions aim to maintain competitive health insurance rates for employees, with monthly premiums for various coverage tiers reflecting a 7.1% increase from the previous year. The county's commitment to providing attractive benefits is seen as crucial for employee retention and recruitment, despite the rising costs associated with healthcare.