Cumberland County to move health plan renewal to consent agenda after 11.3% projected cost increase

Cumberland County officials moved a recommendation on the county's employee health benefits renewal to the consent agenda after hearing projections that the plan's gross annual cost would increase about 11.3%, or roughly $3.2 million.

County Manager Greer turned the presentation over to Robin Coombs, the county's finance director and chief financial officer, who introduced Kevin Quinn and Ed Morgan of broker USI. USI told commissioners the county's plan ran favorably in January and that the renewal calculations reflect better-than-expected recent claims experience. The presenters said the annual projected cost is about $31.9 million, up $3.2 million from the current year, a change equal to about 11.3%.

The recommendation that commissioners review on the consent agenda would keep the county's existing plan design, increase employee contributions by the projected 11.3% and raise the wellness incentive at the annual health fair from $30 to $50. The package, as explained by staff, would reduce the county's net additional cost because employees would cover part of the increase; staff estimated employee contributions would offset roughly $415,000 of the…