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Commissioners weigh 5% health-insurance premium increase; decision deferred to next week
Summary
Finance officer Debbie Kelly told commissioners the county’s health-insurance carrier will raise premiums by 5% effective May 1; the insurance committee recommended the county cover the increase, but commissioners will decide next week so payroll deductions can be updated.
Debbie Kelly, Broadwater County finance officer, told the Board of Commissioners that the county’s health-insurance carrier, Northwest Administrators, notified the county of a 5 percent premium increase effective May 1.
Kelly said the county currently spends roughly $100,000 per month on employee health care and that employees now contribute about $190 per month toward premiums. She reported the new premium figure as $1,551 per employee (as stated in the meeting) and said the insurance committee recommended that the commissioners continue to pick up the increase for the remainder of the fiscal year, funded through the permissive medical levy and general health levies.
Why it matters: Adjusting who covers the premium increase affects employees’ take-home pay and the county’s permissive-levy-funded accounts. Kelly warned that eligibility for some levy funds depends on employee counts as of June 30, which could affect tax revenues and budgets if positions are vacated.
Next steps: The commissioners agreed to research options and make a determination at next week’s meeting so payroll deductions can be updated in time to cover the May premium. Kelly said she would provide additional figures as requested by commissioners.
