Edgar County Board approves Blue Cross Blue Shield renewal not to exceed 19% increase

The Edgar County Board voted to approve a one-year renewal of group health insurance with Blue Cross Blue Shield for the policy period Oct. 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2026, authorizing a contract not to exceed a 19% premium increase. The board approved the measure after members said a final rate was still pending but that payroll deadlines required the county to open enrollment.

The action matters because staff must load the insurance rate into the payroll system before the county’s open-enrollment payroll deduction schedule begins Sept. 5. K., the board chair, said the county did not yet have a final, firm increase but expected it to be below the 19% cap and that the timing forced approval now.

Board members debated timing but not the substance of the insurer’s proposal. Andy made the motion to approve the renewal with the 19% cap; Russ seconded the motion. During the roll call, commissioners recorded a majority in favor; Commissioner Farnham registered a “no.” The board chair announced the motion carried.

No ordinance, statute or other legal authority was cited on the record during the vote. The motion was procedural authorization for staff to finalize enrollment paperwork and load the rate into payroll; the board did not adopt a multi-year contract or set premium-sharing changes on the record.

The board’s approval allows human-resources and payroll staff to proceed with open-enrollment communications to employees. The final negotiated premium and any employee-share changes were not specified at the meeting and will be provided to the board and employees once the insurer confirms the final figures.

Board members did not schedule a follow-up vote to ratify a specific final dollar amount at the meeting.