Kootenai County keeps $2 million stop‑loss cap after insurers flag minimal savings from cheaper option

Kootenai County commissioners on Dec. 18 voted to keep the county's previously approved stop‑loss insurance plan, preserving a $2,000,000 annual maximum reimbursement for claims. The decision came after outside advisors presented a new third option and recommended against switching.

Sylvia Proud of BCS and Sean from insurance broker Alliant explained the alternatives. Alliant described the third option as a $200,000 deductible with a $1,000,000 annual maximum reimbursement and said the proposal offered only limited savings. "Based on the minimal savings of approximately $5,274 annually, it would be our recommendation to remain with your original option," Sean said, adding that the modest savings did not justify the added liability exposure.

Commissioners said they were comfortable with the earlier decision and voted to accept the BCS/Alliant recommendation to remain with Option 1. The board moved and approved the emergency agenda addition so the decision could be ratified within the year‑end timing constraints, which participants discussed as Dec. 19 for finalization.

Why it matters: stop‑loss coverage limits how much the county would be reimbursed for unusually large health claims. Choosing the option with the higher annual reimbursement preserves greater protection against catastrophic claims but costs modestly more in premiums. Advisors framed the choice as a risk‑management tradeoff: small annual savings versus larger worst‑case exposure.

The board recorded the motion and approved the item by voice vote. No further changes to the stop‑loss coverage were made at the meeting.