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Select Board Adopts New Employee Health‑Plan Contribution Levels; Committee to Explore HRA/FSA Support
Summary
Following a recommendation from its health‑insurance subcommittee, the Brentwood Select Board moved to align employer contributions to the 'Plan B' benchmark (100% single; 80% couple and family) and asked staff to explore HRA/FSA options to ease deductible burdens for affected families. The policy change passed by majority vote.
The Brentwood Select Board on Nov. 19 adopted changes to employer contributions for municipal health plans after a health‑insurance subcommittee recommended using the middle plan (Plan B) as the reference contribution. Under the change, the town will pay 100% of the Plan B premium for single employees and 80% of Plan B premiums for couples and families; those dollar contributions will be carried to other available plans.
The subcommittee chair presented corrected enrollment and cost calculations showing how shifting plan definitions affects employee premiums. “If the plan with a $1,000 deductible is considered Plan B and the zero‑deductible plan is Plan A, applying the recommended 80/100 levels changes employee contributions and shifts costs,” the subcommittee chair said, summarizing the analysis staff provided.
Committee and board members discussed mitigation options for employees who would face higher deductibles if they move to lower‑cost plans. Staff confirmed the town currently offers an FSA that employees may contribute to pretax; the board asked staff to evaluate an HRA (town‑funded reimbursement vehicle) or employer seed contributions to an FSA as a way to blunt deductible impact, particularly for the small number of family enrollments that would see the largest dollar increases.
After debate the board voted to adopt the committee recommendation (the 100% single / 80% couple & family framework tied to Plan B). The board also directed staff to circulate detailed plan documents, enrollment counts, and to return with an analysis of HRA vs. FSA options and any cost implications before final enrollment deadlines.
