Yankton County Commission hears health-plan renewals, ambulance report; approves culvert repair, plats and veterans’ ‘Greenlight’ resolution

YANKTON, S.D. — The Yankton County Commission on Oct. 21 heard presentations on county employee benefits and emergency services funding, approved several routine land and infrastructure actions and passed a resolution honoring veterans.

County leaders focused early attention on employee health coverage as brokers outlined expected rate increases for 2026 and the savings produced by the county’s medical expense reimbursement plan. Dan Johnson of RISD Benefits told commissioners that 86 employees were enrolled in county plans as of Oct. 1 and that Avera’s co-pay single plan is expected to rise about 7.25%, an increase Johnson said equates to roughly $55 per affected single enrollee. Johnson said combined savings from the county’s MERP (medical expense reimbursement plan) were sitting at $43,081.34 through the first 10 months of the year.

"Eighty-six employees in the plan as of October 1," Johnson said, summarizing enrollment figures and the carrier-proposed rate changes.

The nut of that discussion for commissioners was budget pressure: the county’s existing budget-growth cap of roughly 3% conflicts with projected health-insurance increases of more than 7%, a gap several commissioners warned will complicate next year’s budgeting. The chair noted…