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San Patricio County approves 2026 COBRA rates as HR director warns of large increase
Summary
The county approved its 2026 COBRA rates after Human Resources Director Norma Jean Rivera said the change reflects a roughly 30% increase driven by higher employer contributions toward family coverage and a 2% administration fee.
San Patricio County Commissioners Court approved new COBRA rates for 2026 on a unanimous vote after hearing details from Human Resources Director Norma Jean Rivera.
Rivera told the court the 2026 COBRA rates carry forward a carve-out used for regular employees and add a 2% administration fee that the county’s new COBRA administrator charges. Rivera said the largest driver of the increase is the county’s higher employer contribution to family coverage this year. “We’re looking at about… about 30%,” Rivera said when asked to quantify the change, and added the county pays approximately $1,100 toward family coverage that must be incorporated into COBRA calculations.
The change was presented as a continuation of existing methodology for calculating COBRA. Rivera explained that the county takes its regular insurance rates, combines the employer and employee portions, then adds the 2% administration fee for COBRA participants. A commissioner asked whether rates had changed since the budget was set; Rivera said they used the same base numbers as the regular rates and that she would email the 2025 comparison to the court.
A motion to approve the 2026 COBRA rates passed unanimously. The court did not specify the motion’s mover and seconder in the transcript; the vote was recorded by voice as unanimous.
The new COBRA rates will apply to eligible continuing health-plan participants under the county’s employee benefit policies; officials said the county will send detailed rate comparisons to the court afterward.
