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Board hears health insurance update; Medicare Advantage renewal shows 16% increase ($402,000) and staff to seek competitive quotes
Summary
District consultant reported stabilization in July claims, an early renewal request to Blue Cross, and a proposed 16% increase in the Medicare Advantage plan equal to about $402,000 annually; administration will solicit competitive quotes and return with recommendations by Sept. 11.
The St. Mary Parish School Board received a report Aug. 14 on group health insurance claims and renewals, including a proposed 16% increase in the Medicare Advantage plan that the presenter said would amount to roughly $402,000 annually.
Mister Perez, presenting the monthly group health insurance premium-to-claim summary, introduced Emmy Romero, the account executive who handles the district's day‑to‑day benefit servicing, ACA compliance and Medicare Advantage administration. Perez told the board July showed some stabilization in claims and that he had requested an early renewal indication from Blue Cross for the commercial plan.
Perez said the district did receive the Medicare Advantage renewal and that it included a 16% increase, which he described as amounting to about $402,000 annually. He said the district is negotiating with Blue Cross and that the 16% figure is not final. Perez added that Blue Cross proposed a cost‑saving alternative that, with some benefit modifications, would save about $350,000 compared with current costs. The district has requested competitive quotes from other Medicare Advantage carriers and expects those quotes within one to two weeks; final recommendations are planned for the Sept. 11 board meeting.
A board member asked whether the district would consider bids from carriers other than Blue Cross. Perez said any competitive proposals would be presented to the board and that network access (whether a carrier offers an open PPO similar to the current network) and other factors would be weighed in recommendations, not cost alone.
Emmy Romero was introduced as the district's account executive who manages retiree and active employee servicing, new hire enrollments, ACA reporting and Medicare Advantage administration; Perez noted she has worked with the district for more than 10 years.
Ending The board did not take action on insurance at the Aug. 14 meeting; the administration expects to return with final recommendations on plan changes and vendor selection by the Sept. 11 meeting.
