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County approves new health benefits plan and administrative committee
Summary
Berkeley County approved a new employee health benefits plan developed with Wellnet and established an administrative committee (including Commissioner Whitaker) to handle plan escalations; officials said initial implementation has produced minor network reimbursement issues to be addressed.
The Berkeley County Commission approved a new county health benefits plan and authorized the formation of an administrative committee to oversee implementation and escalations.
Chad Weinbrenner, deputy county administrator, said the plan—developed with benefits vendor Wellnet—outlines eligibility, three coverage tiers, ACA/HIPAA and COBRA compliance, and dispute/escalation pathways. "This plan is exactly what you set out to create," Weinbrenner said, adding that the document will serve as the foundation for benefit administration.
Commissioners discussed early implementation differences between Cigna and the Highmark/Blues networks, including reimbursement rates and negotiated specialty-provider arrangements. Weinbrenner said staff had already resolved a mental-health provider access issue through a direct contract to preserve continuity for first responders.
Commission approved the plan and also created an administrative committee to handle disputes and day-to-day oversight. Proposed members include Commissioner Whitaker, Weinbrenner, and Deputy Legal Director Jeff Mosey. Commissioners said the move will delegate routine administration away from the full commission while providing a clear escalation path back to the board if needed.
The commission voted to give the president signature authority on plan documents and instructed staff and the new committee to return with any required minor changes identified during implementation.
