Pembroke Park approves renewal with Florida Blue and expands family coverage to 100%

Pembroke Park commissioners voted Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025, to renew the cityemployee health insurance plan with Florida Blue and to expand family medical coverage so the city pays 100% of the premium for enrolled family plans. Gloria Rosen, the citybenefits consultant, presented renewal rates and supplemental policies and said the primary carrier renewal was within budget.

The changes matter because the expanded coverage directly affects city employeesand their families and will increase the cityoperating cost if enrollment grows. Commissioners and staff said the city has budget capacity to absorb the change and that staff will implement the coverage immediately; the commission asked staff to return an ordinance only if legal review shows a previous ordinance requires formal amendment.

Rosen told the commission the Mutual of Omaha supplemental products (life, short-term and long-term disability, vision) showed no rate increases and that dental would rise about 3% from $40.17 to $41.38 per employee. She said the city was able to limit the main medical renewal to a 6.85% increase, below typical marketplace increases she has seen (10%–12%). Rosen provided a worksheet she said shows the cost if the city covers dependents: "it comes out to less than $5,000 a month. $4,007.67 if we've paid the benefits the premiums for your employees' dependents," she said.

A commissioner who asked to be recognized for discussion said the right-hand column of the worksheet showing the $4,007.67 figure is a monthly total and stated, "the cost we're anticipating based on current enrollment is approximately $57,000." That same speaker said the finance director expects an operating surplus near $3,000,000 at the end of the fiscal year and argued the city can absorb the additional cost even if enrollment grows during open enrollment.

Commission discussion also addressed carrier network considerations. Rosen said negotiations between Blue Cross/Florida Blue and Memorial Hospital were ongoing and that the city sought alternate quotes (Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare) but that network access to local hospitals factored heavily into the vendor choice. She said other carriers declined to match Blue Cross benefits and networks for the area. Rosen asked commissioners to place the Mutual of Omaha supplemental package and the Florida Blue renewal on the consent agenda for a formal vote.

Mayor Jacobs called for separate motions for (1) the carrier renewal and (2) the policy change to cover families at 100%. The commission first voted to renew the Florida Blue plan as presented. A subsequent motion to expand family coverage to 100% passed on roll call: Commissioner Mohammed: yes; Clerk Commissioner Hodgkins: yes; Acting Clerk Commissioner Morissette: yes; Mayor Jacobs: yes. After the vote, the town attorney said staff will implement the change immediately and return an ordinance if a prior ordinance requires formal amendment to memorialize the benefit structure.

The town attorney also asked the clerk to remove the second exhibit Rosen had provided from the publicly accessible record, citing apparent confidential employee information on the form; the clerk struck that page pending attorney review. Commissioners noted the change is intended to improve recruitment and retention and that additional enrollments are likely during open enrollment. The commission adjourned after routine closing items.

Costs and program details provided in the meeting: the dental renewal was reported as a 3% increase (from $40.17 to $41.38 per employee), Mutual of Omaha life and disability rates unchanged, vision unchanged, and a worksheet figure of $4,007.67 per month if the city paid dependents' premiums (source: Gloria Rosen). The commission directed staff to implement the expansions immediately and to return any required ordinance for formal adoption if legal review indicates one is required.