School Board asks county to renegotiate Everside Health contract to remove Roanoke County Public Schools

ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. — The Roanoke County School Board on Feb. 28, 2025, approved a resolution asking the County of Roanoke to renegotiate contract number 2023-045 with Everside Health so Roanoke County Public Schools can be removed from a joint employee clinic agreement.

School staff presented utilization and cost data for the division-operated clinics and board members debated whether exiting the joint contract would save the division money without unduly harming employees who use the clinics.

Susan Peterson, presenting the division’s utilization and return-on-investment review for the health and wellness centers, said the division analyzed visits and unique patients for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024. Peterson said there were a total of 5,930 clinic visits in the year and that the clinic produced an estimated claim cost avoidance ranging from $307,004.93 to $444,090 based on Anthem pricing assumptions provided to the division. Peterson also told the board the clinics are part of a joint contract with the county and Marathon Clinic Services (contracted through the Western Virginia Regional Jail authority), and that the county would need to renegotiate the joint language with Marathon if the school division seeks to withdraw. She also said the contract contains a 180-day termination clause.

Board members pressed staff on utilization and cost trends. One member said annual clinic costs have risen from about $437,000 in a prior year to about $825,000 and said the division should explore other options before leaving the contract. Another member cautioned that removing the division from the contract could affect employees who regularly use the clinics and urged more employee input before final steps. Several board members noted the contract contains scheduled price increases (a 5% increase in July, another 5% the following July, and a 3% increase the year after) and said those increases factor into the division’s decision.

A different board member framed the decision as a way to shore up the division’s self-insurance reserves and to avoid an estimated monthly premium increase for families that staff estimated could be about $107 per month under current projections. That board member said removing the division from the clinic agreement and applying projected savings to the division’s health reserves could reduce upward pressure on employee premiums.

After discussion, a board member moved that the resolution be approved requesting the County of Roanoke renegotiate contract no. 2023-045 with Everside Health to remove Roanoke County Public Schools’ participation; another board member seconded the motion. The board then took a roll-call vote. Recorded votes in the transcript were: Mister Greenway — yes; Mister Landon — no; Miss Fashani — yes; Mister Hudson — yes; Miss Clement — yes. The motion carried.

The board and staff emphasized that the school division cannot unilaterally end the joint contract and that county negotiation is required to implement a withdrawal; the county attorney prepared the resolution the board approved to launch that request. Board members also said the special meeting was called, in part, to begin the renegotiation process promptly because staying in the contract for an additional month could cost the division roughly $60,000–$70,000 in projected increases.

The board did not set a specific implementation date for withdrawal; staff noted the 180-day termination language and explained the division’s ability to exit depends on county renegotiation with Marathon Clinic Services and any contractual provisions that apply.

Meeting adjourned after the roll-call vote.