Belknap County awards health‑benefits broker contract to CGI Business Solutions

Belknap County commissioners voted to award an RFP for employee benefits brokerage to CGI Business Solutions after a committee review and interviews with multiple firms. Dan Perlin, who introduced himself as president of CGI, and colleagues described services that include benefits administration, COBRA and retiree-billing support, compliance calendars and access to an employment-law partner they said serves CGI clients.

The review committee, composed of county staff and department representatives, reported receiving seven responses and interviewing five bidders; the committee unanimously recommended CGI to serve as the county’s broker of record. Commissioners discussed the practical differences between fully insured and partially self‑funded plans, the need for monthly claims data to evaluate partially self‑funded options, and the potential for pharmacy-benefit savings if the county obtains detailed claims information.

Commissioners asked about how CGI is compensated; Perlin said the carriers build broker and consultant fees into filed rates and CGI does not add a separate fee to the county. Commissioners also pressed for clarity on any budget impacts and plan design changes before adopting alternatives to the county’s current HealthTrust arrangement. The motion to accept the committee’s recommendation passed with commissioners voting in the affirmative.

What happens next: staff will incorporate CGI into the renewal process, continue comparing proposals from Anthem and Harvard Pilgrim if available, and present any recommended plan design or funding changes with supporting claims data and projected budget impacts to the commissioners for review before implementation.