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Delhi Township HR recommends keeping $75,000 stop‑loss and accepts 14.1% medical premium increase
Summary
Director of Human Resources Melanie Ermes presented Delhi Township's 2025 self-insurance renewal, recommending the township remain with its current stop‑loss carrier at a $75,000 specific deductible and noting a 14.1% increase in premiums driven by recent high claims.
Melanie Ermes, Delhi Township director of human resources, told trustees at the Aug. 13 meeting that the township's 2025 medical self‑insurance renewal will include a 14.1% increase in premiums and recommended staying with the current stop‑loss carrier at a $75,000 specific deductible. "What that means is Delhi Township pays the first $75,000 per covered person's insurance claims," Ermes said. "And then anything after that, the stop loss carrier would cover."
Ermes said the township's insurance broker, Marsh McLennan Agency, solicited quotes from other stop‑loss carriers but none could beat the township's current arrangement. She also described the plan's Third‑Party Administrator (Surest, a division of UnitedHealthcare), the role of on‑site clinic vendor Marathon Health and other voluntary coverages. "We have had a couple high claims years and that affects our overall claims," she said, explaining part of the premium jump.
The presentation included operational details trustees may use in budget planning: Delhi expects open enrollment in October; roughly 85 employees are covered on the plan; the stop‑loss arrangement is structured as a reimbursement policy that can require the township to pay claims first and be reimbursed later; and the township uses Marathon Health as a near‑site clinic that administers the wellness program which can reduce premiums. Ermes also described voluntary programs under consideration, including a Flexible Spending Account proposed to start Jan. 1 and an orthopedic bundling pilot with The Christ Hospital.
Trustees asked clarifying questions about FSAs versus HSAs and about the longevity of rate holds. Trustee comments noted a long history of being self‑insured and thanked Ermes for the work preparing the renewal. Ermes said she will present the required benefit plan resolutions at the next meeting for formal adoption.
The board did not take a final vote on the benefit plan at the Aug. 13 meeting; Ermes said the resolutions to adopt the benefit plan will appear at the next trustees meeting.
Why it matters: municipal employee health benefits affect treasury budgets and staff take‑home costs, and the stop‑loss choice determines the township's exposure to very large medical claims. Future budget and payroll planning will need to reflect the higher premiums and the timing lag on stop‑loss reimbursements.
