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Supervisors approve FY25–26 employee health insurance renewal; staff urge boost to partial self-fund account
Summary
The Board approved renewal of county employee health, dental and vision plans through IGHCP/EBS/MetLife and discussed adding $600,000 this year and $200,000 next year to the county’s partial self-funding (PSF) account to stabilize high claim utilization.
POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY, Iowa — The Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors voted to renew the county’s employee health insurance program for fiscal year 2025–26, continuing participation in the Iowa Group Health Care Plan (IGHCP) with administration through EBS and renewing dental and vision coverage with MetLife.
County human resources and benefits consultants told the board the county’s total annual health plan cost is just under $10 million; claims history shows the county’s five‑year average annual reimbursement for the partial self-fund (PSF) account is about $1.6 million while current budget contributions have been $1.3 million. Meeting materials showed the PSF account balance was about $376,000 through January of the current fiscal year and staff warned that, without additional contributions, the account could drop to roughly $200,000 by year end.
Because recent years have seen several high-cost claimants and elevated pharmacy costs, staff recommended making additional premium/contribution payments to the PSF account. Board members said a previously discussed plan would contribute $600,000 into the PSF before the fiscal year ends and add $200,000 in the next fiscal year; staff said that would raise the target funding level to approximately $1.6 million and smooth volatility in claim reimbursement.
Consultants also presented a fully insured versus self‑insured analysis. They reported that, given current claims trends, moving the county off IGHCP and fully self‑insuring would likely raise annual costs by roughly $2 million compared with remaining in the IGHCP pool; for the near term the consultants recommended remaining in the pool to avoid exposing the county to higher aggregate risk.
The board approved the renewal motion by roll call; all supervisors voted in favor. Staff said they would bring plan details and PSF funding mechanics back to the board for follow-up, including the timing of lump-sum payments and possible incorporation into monthly premiums.
Key figures discussed in meeting materials and staff presentation: total annual program cost approximately $10,000,014; five‑year average claims reimbursed from PSF approximately $1,600,000; current PSF contribution level $1,300,000; account balance about $376,000 through January (year-to-date July–January claims about $917,000). Consultants emphasized catastrophic pharmacy claims and several very high-cost individual claimants as drivers of the county’s elevated loss ratio.
