Mesa Public Schools staff and outside advisors briefed the governing board on Dec. 11 about growing employee health‑benefit costs and procurement options, including participation in a pooled consortium called Kairos.

Mr. Wing explained the district’s self‑funded status and noted a projection last year of a 13.1% increase in health costs (about $5.9 million). The district allocated part of that projected increase and planned for additional options after employee feedback.

A procurement advisor (Volition Group) described the bidding process and focused the board’s attention on transparency, claims and pharmacy cost control, and maintaining continuity of network access. Representatives from Kairos said pooling purchasing power across many public entities can produce administrative savings (the presenters cited roughly $2 million in potential administrative plus pharmacy benefit manager savings) and further savings from clinical interventions (presenters estimated about $1.2 million from targeted clinical programs) and other engagement opportunities.

Board members asked about potential disruption to employees’ provider networks and plan autonomy. Presenters emphasized that district autonomy and plan design choices would be preserved under a self‑funded structure within the consortium and that provider networks likely would remain stable; they also said a final recommendation would be presented to the board in January to align with open‑enrollment timing.

The board did not make an immediate decision. Trustees asked staff to continue exploring options, to refine data and performance metrics, and to present a recommendation in January that aligns with open‑enrollment windows and carrier timelines.