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Cordele County approves Curative insurance contract contingent on explicit fees; sets retiree contribution at $800
Summary
After repeated requests for missing business details, the commissioners approved the Curative contract for county health insurance contingent on inserting administrative, stop‑loss and claims‑fund figures into the final contract, and set the county retiree contribution amount at $800 for 2026.
Cordele County commissioners approved a contract with Curative for county health insurance for budget year 2026, contingent on including the administrative fee, stop‑loss premium and claims‑fund amounts in the final contract documents.
Commissioners had earlier tabled action on the contract to allow staff time to locate and review prior agreements. County staff member Mister Belt told the court he had not received key business details and had not seen the county’s prior master agreement with Baylor Scott & White: “I have not seen a copy of our current contract. I have no idea what termination provisions are in it or any of the ... provisions in it.”
After staff located proposal figures, a member moved to approve the Curative contract on the condition that the company’s administrative fees, stop‑loss premium and the claims fund amounts be inserted into the actual contract. The motion, made from the bench and seconded, carried. The court directed that the claims fund and the specified fees be reflected in the executed contract so “all the math adds up,” as commissioners put it.
Separately, on retiree coverage the court set the county contribution amount used to calculate retiree premiums at $800 per month. The contribution level implements the county’s existing handbook policy tying the county share to years of service: 0% for under 15 years, 50% over a threshold, 75% at another threshold and 100% for those with 25 or more years, up to Medicare eligibility. Commissioner Tom Matthews moved to set the contribution at $800; Commissioner Keith Taylor seconded and the motion passed.
Why it matters: The court’s conditional approval moves the county away from its previous insurer, Baylor Scott & White, but commissioners insisted the final contract show the specific fee amounts and claims‑fund calculation before the county judge signs. Staff said locating prior master agreements and clarifying who administers transition claims remains important for employee communications.
The court also approved a short-term procedural step to add $47,500 to bills to expedite a sheriff’s vehicle transfer, and tabled related items until staff could provide contract documentation.
