Lafayette Parish School System to change medical and pharmacy vendors; dental premiums to rise for 2026

Lafayette Parish School System staff told the school system’s benefits committee that the district will change medical and pharmacy administrators effective Jan. 1, 2026, and that dental premiums will increase for active employees and retirees after a recent request for proposals. Staff also reviewed new vesting rules the board approved in July and outlined communications for an open enrollment period that begins in late September.

The benefits consultant and district insurance staff said the district is moving medical administration and network arrangements to Meritain Health with an Aetna network and is moving non‑Medicare pharmacy benefits to OptumRx, both effective Jan. 1, 2026. The district will continue to operate Medicare Advantage plans, including Humana for eligible retirees, and staff said they are working to integrate direct contracts for providers that were previously out of network.

Why it matters: the vendor transitions affect how members find in‑network providers, how claims will be processed, and how members receive ID cards; staff said the changes require systems, eligibility and enrollment work to be completed before open enrollment.

Staff described implementation steps and vendor coordination. Gallagher, the district’s consultant, and the…