Board told health‑insurance renewal could rise; group loss ratio cited as driving factor

County officials discussed uncertainty over the upcoming health‑insurance renewal at the study session, and staff warned the county faces higher premiums driven by a string of high‑cost claims. One board member said a 10% increase would be “a stretch” and reported the county was currently seeing a roughly 19% premium increase in renewal discussions. A staff presenter explained the group’s loss ratio fell from 154% last year to 108% this year but remains high; the presenter added that 12 high‑cost claims totaling about $750,000 (individual claims ranging roughly from $15,000 to $314,000) are continuing to generate claim dollars. The presenter said the county is awaiting further bids from underwriters and asked the board to consider whether to modify plan design – for example, increasing members’ out‑of‑pocket costs – to reduce premium pressure. He said such changes would shift costs to employees. Board members discussed whether to bid the coverage out or accept a renewal; staff noted the matter is on the agenda for the formal board meeting on Wednesday. No formal action was taken at the study session. A commissioner suggested collecting informational flyers from the insurance representative and circulating them to department heads before deciding; staff also raised the setup fee charged by the payroll vendor Paycom for optional programs as a factor to consider. The discussion left the renewal unresolved pending additional quotes and underwriting detail.