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County previews 2026 health plan: staff proposes HSA adjustments, carrier change to Blue Cross Blue Shield
Summary
Human Resources briefed commissioners on projected medical and prescription cost increases for plan year 2026, a carrier recommendation and proposed changes to county HSA contributions and family-tier premiums.
El Paso County Human Resources presented preliminary projections and recommended plan design changes for the county’s self‑insured medical plan during the April 7 meeting.
Key points from staff: projected medical-claims inflation of about 6.9 percent and prescription drug cost increases of about 10.9 percent for the 2026 plan year; the county will move medical/pharmacy/stop‑loss services to Blue Cross Blue Shield after a procurement that returned lower net claim cost and higher pharmacy rebates; as part of a benefits strategy staff proposed increasing the county health‑savings-account (HSA) contribution from $1,200 to $1,500 for dependent tiers while keeping the employee-only contribution at $1,200 (the county risk-pool board recommended applying the larger contribution to dependent tiers only); staff also recommended a further reduction of family-tier premiums (a projected fiscal‑year 2026 cost of about $122,000).
HR said the proposed design changes would be covered from the plan’s risk-pool fund balance this year and should not require an increased county general-fund contribution for FY2026, but commissioners were told the changes reduce future reserves and will affect future years’ contribution decisions. HR also described wellness and engagement features available under the new carrier (screening, points-based incentives and a premium discount for employees who complete annual screenings).
Commissioners asked staff to continue work on final cost numbers and to return during the August–September budget hearings with a final proposal. HR and the Risk‑Pool board said they expect to complete final pricing and return with a recommendation in the fall budget cycle.
