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Berkeley County codifies retiree PEIA contributions, narrows future coverage to employees only
Summary
County commissioners voted to adopt a written policy formally continuing the longstanding practice of paying the employer share of PEIA coverage for eligible retirees, and amended the practice going forward to cover retirees only (not spouses or family) unless otherwise already enrolled.
Deputy County Administrator Jay Wainbrenner told the Berkeley County Commission on Jan. 30 that the county would codify a long-standing practice of paying the employer share of Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA) coverage for eligible retirees, but that commissioners decided to limit future county-paid coverage to the retired employee only.
Why it matters: Commissioners said the change aims to preserve the benefit for retired employees while limiting future budget exposure on increasingly costly family coverage. Commissioners emphasized the policy will not remove coverage from people already receiving the county-paid PEIA benefit.
Wainbrenner said the county had participated in PEIA briefly in the 1990s and that employees who worked for the county during that period (and met eligibility through the West Virginia Consolidated Public Retirement Board) remain eligible to continue PEIA at retirement. "This policy simply states that we're going to continue to do that at the time of retirement for eligible employees," Wainbrenner said, noting the county is not the body that determines eligibility.
Wainbrenner and other staff told the commission the county currently covers 16 retiree PEIA plans each month (11 employee-only and five family plans) and pays roughly $9,418 a month toward those retiree plans. Commissioners debated whether to continue paying family coverage for future retirees, with several saying they did not want to reduce benefits for current retirees but were wary of expanding long-term liabilities.
After discussion, the body voted to adopt a written retired-PEIA contribution policy that formalizes existing practice and, for new retirements going forward, directs the county to pay the employer portion only for the retired employee (not family coverage) unless the family coverage was already in place at retirement. The motion was moved and seconded and passed by voice vote.
What the policy does and does not do: The commissioners and staff said the vote does not strip current retirees of existing benefits; it applies to future retirements. Wainbrenner reiterated that eligibility determinations remain the responsibility of the Consolidated Public Retirement Board and PEIA; the county's role is to decide whether to pay the employer share when paperwork is presented.
Next steps: Staff will publish the new policy in county policy documents and apply it to future retirements. Commissioners suggested continuing periodic reviews as health-care costs change.
