District employees report steep prescription cost increases after Florida Blue formulary change

Alan Mathison, speaking for the district’s ESOL group, told the St. Lucie Public Schools board that a change to Florida Blue’s prescription formulary has sharply increased out‑of‑pocket costs for some employees. “In January their meds that had previously cost $25 copay were now costing a thousand dollars or more a month, until their deductible gets hit,” Mathison said.

Mathison said the change took effect after open enrollment, leaving employees little opportunity to switch plans. He said the district’s lowest plan has a $5,000 individual deductible and a $10,000 family deductible. “This is an insurmountable out of pocket, especially for those who are in the lowest paid positions,” Mathison said.

Why it matters: Mathison and the union described the change as a sudden shift that could force employees to stop or delay prescriptions or to seek employment elsewhere because of unaffordable medication costs. He said members reported “sticker shock” only when attempting to fill prescriptions on Jan. 1 and that many have struggled to reach doctors for alternatives or prior authorizations.

Mathison said the union and district do not control Florida Blue’s formulary decisions but called for coordinated support for affected employees. “We do have a shared responsibility to respond and to support our members in any way we can,” he said, adding that David (identified in the record as a district/union contact) had already spoken with the superintendent but that “nothing has been agreed to yet.”

Discussion details: Mathison said the formulary change applied to Florida Blue’s condition care program, which previously let members pay lower copays instead of meeting a deductible. He warned the change could save the insurer money while shifting costs to employees, and asked whether the insurer’s savings would reduce premiums or had been accounted for when 2025 rates were set. He also said some staff, who work multiple jobs already, could not absorb monthly increases of about $1,000 or more.

No formal district action was recorded during Mathison’s remarks; he said talks between the union and superintendent were continuing. The board did not vote on an immediate remedy during the meeting.

Next steps: Mathison said discussions are ongoing and that the union and district are exploring options, but he gave no timetable or specific remedy. The transcript records no formal direction from the board to staff and no commitment of district funds.