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Bourbon County reviews switch from state health plan to Blue Cross amid projected savings
Summary
County staff and benefits vendors told commissioners the county could save roughly $66,000–$80,000 (plus an additional negotiated ~ $13,000–$14,000) by moving employee coverage from the state plan to a Blue Cross-administered plan, while asking the commission to raise the county employer contribution to preserve employee premiums.
Bourbon County officials discussed a planned change to county employee health coverage at the Sept. 16 commission meeting, with staff saying the county could realize material savings by moving administration away from the State of Kansas plan to a Blue Cross plan.
Miss Susan Walter, introduced at the start of the presentation as the county’s CFO for insurance responsibilities, summarized benefits comparisons and administrative shifts the change would require. Vendors and benefits advisers told the commission that, if the county’s enrollment (census) remains stable for 12 months, estimated combined savings for medical and dental would range from about $66,000 to $80,000, and that a recently negotiated 1% with Blue Cross added roughly another $13,000–$14,000 in savings.
The advisers described trade-offs among plan designs: one Blue Cross option had a $1,000 deductible vs. the state plan’s $800, but a lower out-of-pocket maximum on some options; the HSA-style aggregate family deductible used by the state (a $2,750 individual / $5,500 family construct on the state’s plan) differs from Blue Cross’s embedded plan design, under which family members may begin cost-sharing earlier. The vendors said both carriers cover preexisting conditions and have no lifetime limits.
Advisers recommended keeping employee premiums unchanged in year one and adjusting the county employer contribution upward so employees would not face higher out-of-pocket costs immediately. They also warned the switch would shift administrative duties toward the clerk’s office: the county would need a benefits administration system, an FSA vendor, and an employee-assistance program; staff estimated a benefits admin fee and an initial FSA file-exchange cost (one-time fees such as an employee navigator exchange and a reported $250 file fee tied to some vendors).
Commissioners asked about the timeline and whether the county could certify a change with the state by the statutory deadline. The clerk’s office said it had contacted the state and expected definitive answers within a few days; staff emphasized that the county did not need to approve the change at the meeting but would need to finalize certain employer/employee contribution splits within the next month to meet enrollment deadlines.
The discussion also covered voluntary supplemental benefits, including a newly proposed identity-theft and legal services product priced at roughly $7–$8 per month as an opt-in offering. Advisers noted some voluntary products (accident, critical illness, portable life coverage) would be slightly more expensive than the state plan but would be portable and guarantee-issue options that some employees value.
The board did not take a final vote on the insurance contract at the Sept. 16 meeting; staff said they would bring a finalized proposal back before the county’s budget hearing deadlines so any employer-contribution decisions could be reflected in the 2025 budget process.
