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School board authorizes staff to finalize Cigna medical plan after committee recommends switch
Summary
After a multiweek RFP process and a 9–5 insurance-committee recommendation, the Martin County School Board voted unanimously to direct staff to negotiate final terms with Cigna for fully insured medical and pharmacy coverage and to preserve the PPO freeze and a no‑cost single employee high‑deductible option.
The Martin County School Board on March 20 authorized staff to negotiate a final contract with Cigna for fully insured medical and pharmacy coverage, directing negotiators to seek specific changes before a special meeting April 1.
The board’s March motion, made by Board member Mandy Roberts and seconded by Dr. Moriarty, asked staff to (1) attempt to resolve differences on advanced imaging costs, (2) maintain the district’s existing freeze on new enrollments in the PPO (renamed OAP), and (3) offer the employee‑only high‑deductible plan at no cost to single employees with the district covering the board contribution. The motion passed unanimously.
Why it matters: the district runs health benefits for roughly 4,300 employees and retirees and has been operating under competing proposals from Florida Blue, Cigna and UnitedHealthcare. The board’s direction preserves continuity for employees in the frozen PPO plan while pursuing lower ongoing premiums and vendor funds that could offset district costs.
Board discussion and committee work
Don Calderon, the district’s director of risk management and employee benefits, and Gabrielle Swain, benefits consultant with The Garren Group, presented the carriers’ best‑and‑final offers after the board’s January directive to re‑bid and to seek a 0%‑cost single‑employee option. Swain told the board the three proposals had improved: Florida Blue’s revised offer was a 9.9% increase across plans; Cigna’s overall package produced a roughly 7.9% increase with an HMO increase of 9.5%, a PPO (OAP) increase of 12% and a near‑flat high‑deductible plan (0.1%); and UnitedHealthcare presented a lower overall cost but greater network disruption, with a 2.2% overall increase while showing much higher disruption for out‑of‑state retirees and certain specialties.
Calderon told the board the February 2025 claims experience improved the district’s rolling loss ratio and helped negotiating leverage. He also noted UnitedHealthcare would require higher rates for 17 out‑of‑state retirees because its quoted NHP (Neighborhood Health Program) network is Florida‑focused.
Insurance committee recommendation and concerns
Calderon reported the district insurance committee met March 19 and voted 9–5 to recommend Cigna, citing Cigna’s combination of lower pricing, network availability and ongoing funds. Committee members had eliminated UnitedHealthcare from consideration because of projected network disruption, a finding several board members echoed in discussion.
Board members repeatedly asked Calderon and consultants to try to close differences in how carriers treat advanced imaging (CT/MRI). Board member Roberts noted that, under Florida Blue’s plan, certain imaging has a low fixed copay whereas Cigna’s proposal would require members to meet a calendar‑year deductible before co‑insurance applies. Calderon said staff would ask Cigna to match Florida Blue’s advanced imaging terms if possible.
Motion and next steps
Board member Roberts moved the authorization to negotiate with the three addenda; Dr. Moriarty seconded. The motion carried unanimously. Calderon said staff and the Garren Group would pursue the imaging clarification and bring a final contract for board action at a special meeting tentatively set for April 1 following the board workshop.
Clarifying details
- Insurance committee vote recommending Cigna: 9 in favor, 5 opposed (committee members). - UnitedHealthcare: described in committee discussion as eliminated from consideration for the district due to network disruption concerns. - Sample carrier figures presented by the Garren Group (best‑and‑final offers): Florida Blue revised to +9.9% overall; Cigna overall ~+7.9% (HMO +9.5%, OAP +12%, HDHP +0.1%); UnitedHealthcare overall +2.2% but with higher specialty network disruption for district utilizers. - Implementation items the board directed staff to return with: possible Cigna changes to advanced imaging cost sharing; confirmation that the PPO/OAP enrollment freeze will be preserved; district funding of employee‑only HDHP single coverage to make it effectively no cost to the employee.
Sources and provenance
The board discussion and vote were recorded in the March 20 board meeting presentation and motions. The insurance committee recommendation and carrier summaries were presented by Don Calderon and Gabrielle Swain. Excerpts of the presentation and the board motion are in the meeting transcript.
Ending
Staff will resume negotiations with Cigna and return to the board with any revised terms and a recommended contract for final approval at a special meeting after the April 1 workshop.
