The McLennan County Commissioners Court on Sept. 30 approved renewal of the county’s UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage group plan for eligible retirees for the 2026 benefit year under the plan option presented by human resources.

Stacy, representing human resources, told the court that rising costs across the industry produced significant premium increases and that the county’s options for 2026 were limited. "Medicare Advantage Plans are just pricey across the board," Stacy said, and she described two rate scenarios the county had received; staff recommended renewing the current plan for 2026 while researching longer-term alternatives.

Context and what the court approved: County HR described eligibility rules for county-paid retiree coverage (employees hired before Jan. 1, 2009, with at least 20 consecutive years of service) and said last year’s plan change added modest copays and a small deductible to limit premium increases. For 2026, HR presented two options; the court voted to proceed with the renewal as presented for the 2026 plan year (referred to in the meeting as “option 1”).

Longer-term options: HR and commissioners discussed alternatives for future years, including establishing a retiree HRA (health reimbursement arrangement) that would provide retirees a fixed allowance to shop for their own Medicare Advantage plans. Stacy said the county is researching that approach and a concierge shopping service to help retirees select plans under a funded allowance. Commissioners asked HR to bring proposals for the court’s upcoming planning retreat so they could consider structural changes before the 2027 plan year.

Positions and concerns: Commissioners noted the fiscal pressure on taxpayers and retirees when benefits costs rise and emphasized the need to find a sustainable long-term approach. The court directed HR to return to the court with proposals for consideration at the retreat.

Next steps: HR will renew the UnitedHealthcare plan for the 2026 year per the court’s vote and continue work on alternative funding models for retirees to present for the 2027 plan year.