Monongalia County approves Highmark insurance plan; commission agrees to cover employee premium increases and deductibles

Monongalia County Commissioners on June 11 approved a proposal from Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield to provide the county’s employee group insurance effective Aug. 1, 2025, and separately voted to have the county absorb the increase in employee premiums and cover increased deductibles through the county’s health reimbursement arrangement (HRA).

County Commissioner Sean said the county’s insurance claims experience drove the decision, pointing to what he described as a loss ratio “of a 123.5” and a history of annual increases. “We have a small portion of our participants that account for nearly 60% of all of our claims,” Sean said, adding that the carrier’s initial underwriting analysis put an expected increase much higher than the final offer.

Why it matters: Commissioners said the county faced large and growing premium increases that would otherwise shift significant costs to employees or the…