County staff present 2.6% health‑plan renewal, propose zero‑cost medical coverage for sworn officers

DeKalb County benefits staff and consultants from Buck presented health plan renewal projections for the county’s plan year beginning July 1, 2025, reporting a projected 2.6% overall increase and outlining proposed benefit changes for sworn officers and high‑deductible health plans.

Presenters said the county expects to come in at approximately $123,000,000 in plan costs for the relevant period, producing a budgetary savings of about $7,000,000 compared with the budgeted amount. Separately, presenters noted a plan‑year‑to‑date projection for PYE 2026 of roughly $126,000,000 and observed the county had budgeted $130,000,000; the consultants said the renewal outcome reflects lower utilization and claims intensity in 2024 compared with previous expectations.

A central proposal discussed was a recruitment and retention enhancement for sworn police officers: the county would offer $0 cost coverage for medical, dental and vision for officers and their families if they enroll in the Anthem or Kaiser high‑deductible health plans; officers who choose another plan would pay the difference between the high‑deductible plan and their chosen plan. Presenters said the projected cost for that sworn‑officer enhancement is about $1,100,000 and that amount is already included in the 2.6% renewal projection.

Staff also reviewed mandatory changes to HSA‑eligible plan deductibles driven by IRS rules. Presenters said the minimum individual deductible for a high‑deductible health plan will increase to $1,700 for the July 1 effective date; Kaiser’s deductible was stated to already be $1,800 and therefore requires no change. The county provides seed money to employee HSAs — $750 for single coverage and $1,500 for family coverage — and staff said those deposits are intended to reduce up‑front cost exposure for members in the high‑deductible plan.

Consultants and staff summarized how the renewal arrived at 2.6%: claims experience in 2024 showed lower utilization and reduced intensity of care, producing roughly $4.4 million less in claims than previously budgeted; those lower claims, combined with enrollment increases and negotiated vendor rates, contributed to the modest renewal. Staff credited broker/consultant negotiation for a flat or reduced increase from some vendors (presenters cited work with Kaiser to avoid a proposed higher increase).

Several commissioners asked for additional detail. One requested projected costs to extend the sworn‑officer $0 coverage to firefighters and 911 staff; presenters said they would provide those cost estimates. Commissioners also asked for benchmarking on HSA seed‑money levels — staff said DeKalb’s current $750/$1,500 seed amounts are higher than many peers, and staff agreed to provide cost estimates if the board wished to increase seed money to match rising deductibles.

No formal vote was recorded in the transcript on the renewal or on the sworn‑officer enhancement; presenters said they expected the matter to return to the full Board of Commissioners for approval. The committee asked staff and consultants to return with requested cost addenda (fire and 911 cost estimates, and potential HSA seed adjustments) and to provide further detail on Kaiser clinic options for county employees covered under the Kaiser plan.

Quotes from the meeting (selected): "We usually are looking at 7 to 10% increases year over year. This year, we're looking at only a 2.6% increase," said a county benefits presenter. "We offer $0 cost for healthcare, dental, and vision coverage, for them and their families, to the Anthem and or Kaiser high deductible health plan," a consultant stated when describing the sworn‑officer proposal.

Why it matters: the renewal and proposed sworn‑officer benefit affect recruitment, retention and the county’s budget. Changes to HSA deductibles and seed funding affect employee out‑of‑pocket exposure and the relative attractiveness of plan options.

What’s next: staff and Buck Consulting will provide cost estimates for extending the zero‑cost benefit to other first responders, benchmarking and costing for any HSA seed‑money changes, and follow up on Kaiser clinic arrangements; the final premiums and benefit changes are expected to be presented for formal approval before the July 1 plan year start.