LaSalle County committee approves Blue Cross renewal, accepts higher stop‑loss costs

The LaSalle County Insurance Committee voted to forward a contract renewal with Blue Cross Blue Shield for active employees and to purchase individual stop‑loss coverage with a $150,000 attachment point, with the renewal effective Jan. 1, 2026. The committee approved the resolution by roll call and will sign the final paperwork at the full board meeting in two weeks.

The renewal matters because the county faces a large increase in fixed costs and stop‑loss premiums that had been projected at about 21.7% but returned at 24.6%, driving the county’s total expected plan cost from about $10,330,034 to about $12,612,713. Mike, a Thornton Group consultant who presented the analysis, said, "the actual renewal from Blue Cross came back, 24.6%." He also said the stop‑loss premium was renegotiated to $362 per employee but that represented "a 45% increase."

Committee members were…