Board approves 2025–26 health insurance renewal; finance staff to report on self‑insurance fund balance

The Ferguson‑Florissant School District Board approved a renewal of the district’s 2025–26 health insurance plan at its Aug. 13 meeting after trustees discussed rate increases and fund balance levels.

Board members said regional insurance rates are rising sharply in some districts and sought context for the district’s comparatively modest renewal increase. Board member Dr. Martin cited a 6.6% increase reflected in the materials and said neighboring districts had reported increases of 25% or more; she noted the district’s self‑insurance fund showed recent monthly negative balances in the meeting packet and asked whether the reserve was large enough to cover medical claims that fall below the stop‑loss insurer threshold.

Deputy finance chief Lavinia Draper (filling in for CFO Tony Chance) said the district implemented a rate change last year that moderates this year’s increase and agreed to provide the board with research on an appropriate self‑insurance reserve level. Draper also confirmed the district’s current stop‑loss threshold is roughly $250,000 and said administration will follow up with a more detailed fund‑balance analysis.

Why it matters: as a self‑insured district, Ferguson‑Florissant pays claims up to the stop‑loss threshold from its internal fund; insufficient reserves can require midyear rate adjustments or other changes. Board members flagged the fund balance as a monitoring priority and asked administration for a recommended target and the rationale for the current reserve practice.

Ending: The board approved the health insurance renewal as presented and directed finance staff to return with a memo on best practices for self‑insurance fund levels, a clearer monthly trend of the fund balance, and implications for midyear budgeting and retirees’ coverage.