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Committee reviews health insurance changes: surcharge reduced to 15% and premiums rising 11%
Summary
Committee reviewed changes in the county's health insurance plan: an employer surcharge will decline while overall premiums for the pool are expected to rise, with consultants warning potential future cost pressure from Medicaid changes.
The Finance and Economic Development Committee reviewed an update on county health insurance and employee premiums. Committee members were told the employer surcharge will step down from 30% toward 0% over time and is 15% in the near term; simultaneously, overall premiums for the pooled plan are expected to increase by about 11% next year.
County officials described the change as a near wash for the county in the immediate year because the surcharge reduction and the premium increase offset each other in the countys calculations. Committee members were told to expect additional upward pressure on health insurance costs tied to state and federal changes: consultants cautioned that Medicaid cuts scheduled to take effect in 2027 could increase private insurance rates and place additional cost pressure on employers and local governments.
Committee members and staff discussed how moving from a self-insured arrangement into the state pool led to up-front premium increases for some members statewide but could be more stable long term. "I would still argue with anybody who has this insurance that there isn't better insurance out there. This is a great plan," a committee member said in defense of the move to the pooled plan.
No policy action or vote was taken; the item was informational. Committee staff will carry updated premium and surcharge figures into the 2026 budget materials.
