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Newton County approves Cigna for employee medical and dental coverage for FY2026
Summary
Human Resources and broker Gary Massey presented a competitively marketed renewal and recommended switching the county’s group health and dental to Cigna for July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026; commissioners approved the plan unanimously with expected employer and employee premium changes.
Newton County commissioners unanimously approved a recommendation from Human Resources to move the county’s employee medical and dental plans to Cigna for policy year July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026.
Amanda Shoemaker, director of human resources, introduced insurance broker Gary Massey, who said staff aggressively marketed the renewal after an incumbent carrier presented a renewal the committee judged unaffordable. Massey said two competing carriers returned proposals within 1 percent of each other and substantially below the incumbent renewal; a committee of county staff then interviewed carriers and negotiated a best‑and‑final offer.
Massey told the board the county negotiated a rate cap for the next plan year and added on‑site Cigna support for prescription issues beginning July 1. He said the committee was able to keep employee deductibles and copays the same while bringing the renewal within the county budget projection.
Board members asked about the overall increase and employee premium impacts. Shoemaker and Massey said the county’s overall premium increase compared with the current year was roughly 16–17 percent, consistent with industry trends. They provided sample employee impacts: employees hired before July 1, 2017 face an estimated payroll deduction increase of about $6.52 per month; employees hired after that date would see an increase of about $12.79 per month for medical (dental impacts were shown separately). For employees after 07/01/2017, dental was listed as $1.19 per month. Shoemaker emphasized the county negotiated a fresh dental annual aggregate and that the plan year would start fresh on July 1 so employees would receive the new $1,000 annual aggregate for dental benefits.
Why it matters: the change affects county payroll deductions and the county’s benefits budget; staff said the decision followed an aggressive marketing and negotiation process and included contractual protections such as a negotiated rate cap and added on‑site prescription support.
Board action: The board voted to accept the proposal offered by Cigna Insurance Company for medical and dental coverage for policy year 07/01/2025–06/30/2026. Commissioners asked staff to provide communication materials to employees about changes and the new on‑site support arrangements.
What was not changed: Staff said deductibles and copays were kept at current levels and that specific major dental benefits are subject to a $1,000 annual maximum and applicable deductibles as negotiated.
