Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Employee Benefits topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Aurora approves most 2026 health and COBRA rates; stop‑loss increase deferred for more data
Summary
The committee approved retiree and employee plan rates for 2026 (including a 0% renewal for pre‑Medicare retirees and modest increases for active plans) but held an item to raise individual stop‑loss from $325,000 to $375,000 pending claims data from Blue Cross Blue Shield.
Aurora finance committee members approved a package of health‑insurance rate items for 2026 while postponing a proposed change to the city’s individual stop‑loss threshold pending additional claims data.
Elizabeth Coronado, the city's director of human resources, presented three related items: (1) pre‑Medicare retiree health and dental monthly contributions for 2026, which were presented with a 0% increase; (2) COBRA monthly rates for 2026, which incorporate the 2% administrative fee applied to current health and dental premiums; and (3) group health plan renewals for active employees, where the proposed premium rate increases are 2.5% for PPO and HMO plans and 10% for the high‑deductible health plan (HDHP). The committee approved each of those items by voice vote, 5‑0.
A separate resolution to increase the individual stop‑loss attachment point from $325,000 to $375,000 — a change recommended by the city's broker, Assured Partners — was held so staff could obtain the number and details of claims that have exceeded the current limit. "This item is specifically for an increase to the individual stop loss, which has remained at $325,000 per claimant for the past 4 years," Coronado said. "The missing items would be the number of claims that have exceeded it to provide you with more information as to why this increase is needed. But Blue Cross Blue Shield did need a little bit more time to provide that data. Therefore, that's why we're asking to put it on hold."
Committee members were told the stop‑loss adjustment would reduce the rate pressure otherwise projected for the HDHP (staff noted HDHP utilization would have required a larger increase absent stop‑loss changes). Staff committed to return with the claims count and supporting documentation before the committee took action on stop‑loss. The Blue Cross Blue Shield agreement item was explicitly placed on hold for the additional attachments requested by staff.
