Nueces County Commissioners Court voted unanimously Thursday to award Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas the third‑party administrator contract for the county’s self‑funded group medical plan and to adopt a set of companion voluntary benefit vendors.

The decision follows a competitive request for proposals (RFP No. 3289‑24) that produced five medical proposals and multiple bids for voluntary coverages. John Bass of McGriff, the county’s benefits consultant, told the court the insurance committee recommended Blue Cross Blue Shield as the medical TPA, with a planned transition date of Oct. 1, 2025.

The move ends the county’s contract with its incumbent third‑party administrator and is paired with several nonmedical vendor awards. The court approved Delta Dental and Delta Vision for dental and vision coverages and Aflac for supplemental life, AD&D and voluntary products. Commissioners also approved design changes that would move the county from a grandfathered plan to an ACA‑compliant plan.

McGriff and the insurance committee cited network continuity, local service capacity and long‑term cost control as key reasons for their recommendation. Bass told commissioners the county’s best estimate of long‑term savings from the self‑funded model with the recommended administrator, including pharmacy rebate and underwriting factors, was “conservatively 7% to 10%,” which he said could translate to roughly $1 million to $2 million annually if the county maintains stable enrollment and utilization.

The court also approved three‑year rate guarantees for several voluntary products and changes to supplemental life pricing to age‑banded rates so younger employees would see lower premium bands. Commissioners said they expect to review plan design tweaks at future meetings to further incentivize appropriate care use and manage trend.

Commissioner John Mattis made the motion to award Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas and to authorize the county judge to execute the agreement subject to county attorney review; the motion passed unanimously. A second motion to award the nonmedical vendors likewise passed without opposition.

Implementation steps the county discussed include setting final funding rates for the 2025–26 plan year, bidding the pharmacy benefit next year to align with the medical program, and rolling out changes at open enrollment.

Votes at a glance

- Award Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas: motion made by Commissioner John Mattis; second not specified; outcome: approved unanimously.
- Award nonmedical coverages (Delta Dental, Delta Vision, Aflac): motion made by Commissioner John Mattis; second not specified; outcome: approved unanimously.