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County to renew Anthem plan with dual‑option and $10/paycheck alternative after broker review
Summary
MSI Benefits Group recommended renewing Fannin County's employee health plan with Anthem under a dual‑option design; commissioners approved Option 5, which includes a $10 per‑paycheck contribution for an alternate plan and recommends changing life/disability carrier to The Standard.
John Lavey of MSI Benefits Group presented renewal options for Fannin County’s employee health, dental, vision and voluntary life/disability benefits and recommended renewing with Anthem using a two‑plan (dual) option and modest employee deductions. After discussion, the Board voted to adopt the broker’s recommended Option 5.
Lavey said the county moved from UnitedHealthcare to Anthem in the previous year to avoid a large premium jump, and Anthem’s initial renewal proposal for the current year began at a 39% increase. MSI negotiated that to a 26% increase and obtained a first‑month administrative credit of $129,000; Lavey presented plan design adjustments that would reduce the county’s overall increase to under 15% if the county kept a single plan or to about 9½% under the recommended Option 5 with a $10 per‑paycheck employee contribution to an alternate plan.
The board discussed alternatives Lavey presented, including Cigna as a competitive market bid, and the tradeoffs between changing carriers versus continuity with Anthem. Lavey noted trends in loss ratios and that a relatively small share of employees typically drive the majority of claims. Commissioners asked about employee impacts and noted receiving few complaints about Anthem from staff.
On voluntary life and disability, Lavey recommended moving the county’s basic life and disability to The Standard, which he said reduced the county’s basic life cost materially while offering a one‑time guaranteed issue opportunity up to specified amounts during open enrollment.
A motion to adopt the recommended option (Option 5: renew with Anthem, offer a dual plan, and implement the $10 per‑paycheck alternative contribution) passed; the board also authorized the recommended carrier change for basic life/disability to The Standard. Staff and the broker said they would return with final plan documents and implementation details for open enrollment.
