Cameron County to advertise stop‑loss insurance RFP after consultants report multimillion‑dollar shortfall in health plan

Cameron County Commissioners Court on Tuesday authorized staff to advertise Request for Proposals (RFP) No. 1460 for specific and aggregate stop‑loss insurance and to solicit competing proposals after consultants reported a sizable shortfall in the county’s self‑funded health plan.

The action, taken during the court’s Aug. 19 regular meeting, was moved by Commissioner Reese and seconded by Commissioner Garza; the court voted in favor and the motion carried. Commissioner Benavides appeared to be connected remotely and was not recorded as voting on the motion.

Valley Risk Consulting, the county’s benefits consultant, presented financial data showing contributions of about $13.2 million to the plan through June and paid claims of roughly $16.2 million over the same period, producing an estimated $2.8 million deficit through June. “You’re operating with a minus 17.6%,” consultant Roger Garza told the court. He also said the plan had about 24 large claimants — cases the consultant characterized as generally exceeding $100,000 — and that eight of those claimants were already above the current stop‑loss threshold.

The court’s advertising…