Weston budget workshop: 4.75% proposed increase driven largely by rising health insurance costs

At a Weston School District budget workshop, board members and staff reviewed a proposed 4.75% increase in the district’s operating budget and identified rising health insurance claims as the primary driver of the increase.

District staff said the insurance carrier is paying materially more in claims and that the district is conservatively projecting a roughly 25% increase in costs tied to claims experience. “Our claims experience is significantly higher. I think we’re trending in excess of about between 25 [and] 35% of what our premiums have been,” said Phil, a district finance staff member. Phil said the district expects an initial premium increase notice from Cigna in January that will guide next steps and that returning to the state partnership plan would not necessarily be cheaper long term.

The discussion…