Pueblo County commissioners on July 29 approved a resolution to continue an administrative services agreement with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield while retaining the county's self-funded health plan.

Patsy Cresswell, director of talents and people services, told commissioners the county has stayed with Anthem for years because the carrier provides retiree coverage, a broad provider network and a low-HMO plan that many carriers will not offer. The county is self-funded and pays claims directly; staff said the county's annual claims run close to $20,000,000 and that the county uses a stop-loss (reinsurance) policy that reimburses claims above a $300,000 threshold.

Cresswell and wellness staff credited the county's wellness programs with helping hold rates flat for the past two years. Mary Kroll, the county's wellness specialist, runs multiple free classes for employees; county staff said the program partners include New Leaf Therapy, UCHealth Mobile Nurses, Southeastern Colorado Health Education Center, Be Well health tracker/HealthBot and the YMCA. Staff said fewer than four claims reached the stop-loss threshold in the recent period (two claims exceeded $300,000), which county staff described as an unusually low number for an organization of Pueblo County's size.

County staff said the administrative services agreement is retroactive to Jan. 1 and contains mostly minor formatting revisions from the prior year. Commissioners were told the county conducts monthly claims reviews with Gallagher benefit consultants to identify high-cost claim drivers (cancer and chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension) and to develop targeted programs. Staff also said an RFP process is under way to ensure competitive carriers for 2026, and interviews were scheduled the day of the meeting.

Commissioners approved the resolution by motion.