Texas Association of Counties (TAC) consultants Lacey Jones and Beryl Patel presented Aransas County with plan‑year 2026 health‑benefit renewal options during a Commissioners Court workshop, reporting that the county’s multi‑year loss ratio has exceeded 100 percent and offering alternate plans, including a dual‑plan structure, to reduce county premium contributions.

Jones told commissioners the TAC health and employee benefits pool uses 48 months of claims history and that Aransas County’s 12‑month loss ratio is about 110.6 percent and the 36‑month loss ratio is about 115.13 percent. She said those figures mean the pool is paying more in claims than it is receiving in contributions for county enrollees.

The consultants outlined four alternate plan structures. One option would use a Blue Essentials Network (BEN) plan as a lower‑cost base and keep the county’s current 1,100 NGS plan as a buy‑up. TAC recommended a dual‑plan approach that has the county pay 100 percent of the employee‑only premium for the lower‑cost base plan; employees could either remain in the current richer plan by paying the difference (about $83.46 per month under one alternate) or move to the base plan at no employee cost.

Jones and Patel provided multiple data points to explain cost drivers: Aransas County averaged about 342 lives (employees plus dependents) during the latest plan year; the county’s per‑employee per‑month cost rose from about $832.74 in one 12‑month period to $1,232.15 in the following year; and the county has a number of high‑cost claimants — two participants exceeded $200,000 in medical and Rx claims during the last 12 months. TAC’s staff said the county’s group credibility factor is about 56.8 percent and that Aransas County’s area factor shows medical costs about 10 percent below the state average.

Consultants said dual‑plan arrangements can reduce county contributions but introduce risk: healthier, younger employees often enroll in the no‑cost base plan while higher‑utilizing employees remain in the buy‑up plan, concentrating claims among a smaller premium base. TAC said that typically prompts a dual‑plan load of about 2 percent; Jones said she negotiated to waive that 2 percent load for Aransas County.

Examples TAC provided: keeping the current single plan would reflect the renewal rates for the 1,100 NGS plan; an alternate with a 1,400 NGS base and the 1,100 buy‑up would raise the individual deductible from $750 to $2,000 but could lower county premium cost marginally (estimated 0.4% decrease, about $8,300 annually). A deeper base plan (1,500 NGS) with the 1,100 buy‑up showed a larger projected decrease in county premiums (about 3.5%, roughly $74,000 annually) but would raise employee deductibles and copays substantially.

Several commissioners and staff pressed TAC on mechanics and timing. Jones said renewals must be submitted by June 27 and indicated the court could call a special meeting on June 25 to select an option. Commissioner questions addressed whether pool‑wide claims from larger counties affect small counties and how savings would scale across a pooled membership of about 49,000 lives. Jones explained the pool computes a “pool needed amount” and then applies individual allocations using credibility and demographic adjustments.

Human Resources and finance staff discussed practical effects on employees. Desiree said current employees pay about $45 per month for employee‑only coverage; under one dual option that remains free to employees if the county funds the base plan, while buying up to the richer plan would cost employees about $83.46 per month. Several department heads said they worry about increasing out‑of‑pocket costs for single parents and lower‑paid employees.

No formal renewal decision was recorded at the workshop. Commissioners asked staff to continue refining options and to schedule a special meeting to decide a renewal before TAC’s June 27 deadline. TAC consultants said they would provide requested enrollment and financial detail.

Adjournment: the court later moved and approved adjournment by unanimous voice/roll call.