The Stephenson County Board voted 12-3 on Oct. 16 to approve the countys 2026 employee health insurance renewal with Blue Cross Blue Shield and to fund a voluntary RxMapper DNA-guided medication review pilot for county employees.

County benefits staff presented the renewal and the optional RxMapper program at the meeting. The renewal reflects an approximate 16% increase over the current year, and a change in plan deductibles. Presenters said employee enrollment had declined since the nursing facility employees were removed from the county plan; the active-census estimate used for pricing was roughly 170 people, down from about 190 earlier in the year.

The board was also asked to authorize a pilot of RxMappers DNA sequencing service for employees on high-cost specialty medications. County staff described the proposed pilot as voluntary and confidential. "The return on that investment is slated to be projected to be over $200,000 so a 15X return on a $13,000 spend," county benefits staff said, describing the vendors projection if the county used the program for up to 10 employees. The presenter said the maximum one-time county cost for sequencing 10 people would be $13,000; an initial baseline administrative cost if no one participated was described on the materials as about $4,000. Staff estimated realized savings would likely accrue over three to five years.

Board members asked how participants would be chosen and whether recommendations from the service would be mandatory. County staff and other supporters said participation would be voluntary, employees would be screened by the vendor and any clinical recommendations would be discussed with the employees existing medical providers. "It's completely voluntary," a county presenter said. "They would go back to their doctor and say, 'hey, my DNA was sequenced. It looks like maybe this dosage should be altered... Could we please consider that?'"

Opponents raised privacy and patient-autonomy concerns. "I would hate to think that an insurance company dictates my dosage over my doctor," said Board Member Luann Hayes, who voted against the measure. Hayes, Jackie DeMeester and William Hadley cast the three no votes; the board approved the renewal and the pilot 12-3.

The boards materials show the county pays the majority of premiums and that employee payroll contributions will be 24% of the medical and dental premium share starting Jan. 1, 2026, as discussed during the meeting. Staff described the RxMapper pilot as separate from the Blue Cross Blue Shield contract and as an additional, county-funded optional service.

The board's motion to approve the employee health insurance quote was made by County Board member Tim Whelan and seconded by Larry Jogers; the roll call vote returned 12 yes, 3 no.