The Saint Mary Parish School Board on Oct. 9 voted to renew its fully insured commercial group health plan for the 2026 benefit year, approving a 2.4% rate increase and authorizing the superintendent to proceed with the one-year contract.

Mr. Perez, the district's benefits consultant and agent, told the board he had appealed Blue Cross's original 5% renewal and that the insurer "honored the appeal and revised the increase from 5% to 2 and a half percent," producing a final figure the consultant described as 2.4%. Perez said the revision reduces the district's projected budget impact from about $634,000 to a figure "a little bit under $300,000" and that the renewal would proceed with no increase to employee premiums.

The board moved and seconded the recommendation before taking a voice vote. Board member Miss LaSalle made the motion to approve and Miss Brent seconded; the presiding officer called for aye votes and declared the motion carried.

Board members asked for the contract term to be clarified before the vote. Perez confirmed the renewal covers the benefit year Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2026.

The action is limited to approving the one-year renewal at the revised rate; no additional changes to employee premium sharing were proposed or adopted during the meeting.

The board did not provide a roll-call vote or record individual yes/no positions in the minutes beyond the voice vote announced at the meeting.