St. Cloud Schools board approves carrier change, 11.54% medical premium increase

The St. Cloud Public School District Board of Education voted to approve the labor-management committee's recommendation to switch the district's self‑insured medical administration from HealthPartners to Blue Cross Blue Shield and to set an 11.54% increase to medical premiums for the 2025–26 plan year.

District executive director of human resources and general counsel Tracy Flynn Bow and benefits consultant George VanderWeed of 1Digital presented plan financials and the bidding results at the Aug. 6 meeting. Flynn Bow told the board the LMC made a unanimous recommendation to move carriers and to adopt the premium increase to cover expected claims costs.

Board members heard a multi-page financial review showing the plan’s projected claim spend, year‑to‑date actuals and reserve position. The district’s plan year runs October–September; through June the plan was running close to projections, with claims near $12,000,000 versus an expectation of $11,300,000 under the incumbent contract. The district’s…