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Bonner County employees raise concerns over insurer 'Regent' losing local providers; commissioners to review contract options
Summary
A resident told commissioners that many local providers have dropped coverage from Regent, potentially leaving employees with fewer in-network options on Jan. 1; commissioners and HR said they will review the county's contractual options and consult legal before making changes.
During public comment at the Nov. 24 meeting, a county resident said many local medical providers have stopped participating with the county’s insurer, saying, "Regents right now has been dropped by most everybody around here and they're working on trying to come up with a deal." The commenter asked whether the commissioners could change insurers if provider coverage is insufficient beginning Jan. 1.
Commissioners and HR staff responded that the distinction between in‑network and out‑of‑network providers matters and that they will investigate contractual leverage and legal implications before making any changes. "I would be totally open to discussing that. That would be a question for legal and or, Kevin," one commissioner said, adding the county would evaluate options if the provider network remained unacceptable.
The HR Director characterized certain provider actions as part of negotiation tactics and said county staff would track developments and check contract stipulations. "It's a fear based scare based negotiation tactic," the HR Director said when describing local provider messaging; staff also noted regional examples such as Kootenai Health being involved in similar negotiations.
Commissioners encouraged employees to wait for negotiation outcomes while staff review contract details, and they committed to return with information about potential legal or contractual remedies if the county’s current insurance arrangement loses meaningful local provider access.
