County workshop favors switching stop‑loss coverage to Symetra; expected to lower medical renewal to about 8%

Teton County staff and its broker, Brown & Brown, briefed the Board of County Commissioners on Sept. 15 on the county’s employee health‑plan renewal options and recommended changing stop‑loss carriers to control a steep proposed renewal.

Brown & Brown representatives said the county’s medical plan has had a “hot” year of claims — a pattern of alternating high and low years — and that stop‑loss underwriting can be sensitive to recent large claims. The county’s incumbent stop‑loss carrier, Voya, presented a renewal that Brown & Brown reported as roughly a 17.7% increase; brokers said a competitive firm quote from Symetra would lower the net medical renewal to roughly an 8% increase and produce a savings of about $144,259 if the county signs by Symetra’s deadline of Sept. 18.

Brokers and county staff said the proposed switch would not change members’ benefits or plan design and described the change as an administrative/underwriting move rather than a benefits change. The county’s third‑party administrator and dental contracts were also discussed: administrators quoted a multi‑year rate guarantee and dental proposals reflected a separate underwriting result (dental premiums were expected to rise about 6.5% for the coming year).

Commissioners asked about carrier stability; Brown & Brown said Symetra carries an A‑level AM Best rating and that the Symetra quote included standard underwriting protections, including a rate cap. County staff noted the board would consider a contract for the stop‑loss placement on the board agenda the following day and reminded commissioners that many other carriers either required more recent claims data or could not provide firm quotes by the Sept. 18 deadline.

No formal vote was taken at the workshop; brokers sought direction and sign‑off to finalize the contract process before the firm quote expired.