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Miami County commissioners direct 6% benefits-rate increase, review Q1 personnel and insurance data
Summary
At a April 16 study session the Miami County Board of Commissioners reviewed first-quarter human resources figures and directed staff to proceed with a 6% total rate for the county’s proposed administrative services only (ASO)/self-insured health plan, instructing staff to notify the broker and prepare documents for the afternoon action agenda.
Miami County commissioners on April 16 reviewed first-quarter personnel and benefits data and directed staff to lock in a 6% total rate increase for a proposed shift to a self-insured (ASO) plan structure, with staff to notify the county’s broker and prepare contract documents for the board’s afternoon action agenda.
The discussion began with an overview of staffing and turnover from Interim Human Resources Director Sarah Denney. “For the first quarter of 2025, we had an average active employees of 256. This is gonna include part time and full time employees. We hired 13 employees, and we had 20 separations in the first quarter, leaving us with a 7.8% turnover,” Denney said. She told commissioners the county currently has about 13 full‑time vacancies across departments and that some hires expected in April and May were already scheduled to start.
The personnel report also included payroll- and benefits-related metrics: Denney reported 239.75 FTEs budgeted for full‑time employees in 2025, and that year‑to‑date salary spending and overtime were both about 22% through the first quarter. On benefits enrollment she said the high-deductible health plan averaged about 143 members and the PPO plan averaged about 67 members through February/March, a combined average of roughly 210 covered members and a combined year‑to‑date claims spend of about 62%.
Commissioners then reviewed proposals from the county’s broker (referred to in the meeting as “Locked In”) for moving the county to a partially self‑insured arrangement with stop‑loss protections. Staff reported the broker’s current quote reflected an overall 4.4% premium increase compared with a fully insured equivalent and included fixed administrative fees and stop‑loss layers; staff also said the carrier/broker had offered an administrative‑fee credit (discussed in the meeting as a $55,000 credit) and expected pharmacy/medical rebates (discussed as roughly $189,000, characterized by staff as an estimate). Denney and finance staff explained that under ASO the county would hold and pay claims from county-controlled funds and build a reserve over time.
After extended discussion about risk and reserve sizing, commissioners gave staff direction to move forward with a 6% total-rate assumption for the ASO renewal (rather than the broker’s 4.4% quoted increase) in order to build a larger initial claims reserve. Several commissioners said the additional increase would have a modest impact on employee paychecks — staff presented sample monthly and per‑paycheck impacts for employee-only, employee+spouse, employee+child and family tiers — while providing faster reserve buildup for the county. Commissioner Vickery stated he preferred the 4.4% option and said he was reluctant to increase employee costs; other commissioners supported the more conservative 6% approach.
County staff said they would prepare the paperwork for the afternoon agenda, notify the broker of the board’s direction, and return any confirmed stop‑loss numeric details for the record. Denney also noted the board had approved amendments earlier (in a previous meeting) to the county’s rules and regulations, including a temporary light‑duty policy and work‑comp process changes that are relevant to personnel and benefits administration.
Commissioners and staff also discussed ancillary renewals: Delta Dental returned a proposed 3% increase on dental coverage (staff estimated a small net county impact that would translate to pennies per employee per month), and the county’s supplemental accidental and critical‑illness coverage through Cigna showed no rate change for the coming year but carries no guaranteed renewal price for next year.
The board did not record a roll‑call vote; the decision to proceed on a 6% total rate was recorded as board direction to staff with one commissioner stating a preference for the smaller increase. Staff were directed to include the ASO/self‑insured renewal paperwork on the action agenda later that day and to notify the broker of the decision.
