Portage County staff told the Board of Commissioners Sept. 11 that they recommend renewing the county's self‑funded medical plan with Medical Mutual and using reserves to absorb a projected $1.8 million increase in 2026 costs. The staff member presenting the analysis said she will return to the board next week with a formal resolution for signatures.

The recommendation follows a benefits market review and request for proposals managed by Willis Towers Watson, the county's benefits consultant. The presenter said the county’s projected benefits budget for 2025 is about $19.5 million and that, as of August, accruals were at roughly 75 percent. She said the county currently maintains a stop‑loss attachment point of $225,000 per claimant and that the insurer has indicated it will apply a laser (an exclusion) for at least one large claimant.

Why it matters: county employees and departmental budgets are directly affected by plan design and payroll contributions. The presenter said the county could hold employee payroll deductions at current levels and absorb the estimated $1.8 million increase from reserves rather than raise rates or change plan benefits. She said the county has roughly $7.6 million in reserves now, and that absorbing the projected increase (and applying a one‑time benefit holiday) would leave a reserve balance the presenter estimated at about $5,000,798.

Details of the procurement: Medical Mutual, the county's current third‑party administrator, offered a three‑year rate guarantee in its proposal, the presenter said. Other bidders either were not competitive, did not provide required fee information, or would reduce the county's plan autonomy if the county switched to a fully insured conglomerate, she said. The presenter also noted Medical Mutual runs several care‑management programs (for chronic kidney disease, NICU, diabetes and others) that the county values.

Stop‑loss and risk: the presenter said Medical Mutual has indicated it will laser at least one claimant and possibly a third; she also highlighted an aggregate run‑in limit that other insurers proposed (she cited $2 million) and said Medical Mutual's proposal had more favorable terms on that point.

Reserve policy and benefit holiday: staff proposed drafting a formal resolution to set a minimum reserve level (the presenter suggested $4.0 million as a target) and to authorize a one‑pay‑period benefit holiday (the presenter estimated the holiday would cost about $750,000 and fall on Dec. 19). The presenter said she will bring a written resolution back to the board for consideration and signatures next week.

What the board did: at the meeting the presenter made the recommendation and answered commissioners' questions but did not record a formal vote on the vendor renewal or the reserve policy; staff said it will return with a resolution for formal action.

Context: the county is self‑funded, which the presenter said preserves local control over plan design and provider networks; switching to a fully insured carrier would, in her description, reduce that autonomy and could disrupt employees' provider access.

Pending items and next steps: staff will prepare the resolution with details on the Medical Mutual renewal, the proposed benefit holiday and the draft reserve policy; the board does not appear to have taken formal action at the Sept. 11 meeting and will consider the resolution when it is returned.