Trustees ask staff to report on high-cost providers and clarify oversight of supplemental retirement plans

At the meeting’s close trustees asked staff for two follow-up reports: one on high-cost health-care providers and another clarifying the board’s oversight of voluntary supplemental retirement options.

Chairman Letman asked HR and finance to pull utilization and cost data for Exceptional Healthcare in Bullhead City and other providers that appear high-cost on county reports, asking whether the trust or the county can restrict network access when reasonable alternatives are available. "I would like staff to pull a report and tell us how are we doing with Exceptional Healthcare," he said.

Trustees also discussed supplemental retirement programs (Nationwide, previously ICMA) that employees can join on a voluntary basis. Staff noted those supplemental plans are commonly provided through ASRS payroll deductions and may not constitute a county contract; trustees asked HR to provide payroll-deduction reports showing enrollment counts and to research whether any direct contract exists between the county and those vendors.

County staff cited ARS 11-8981, the statute establishing the county trust for self‑insurance and benefit management, and said they would research the trust’s scope and any historical contracts and report back at the February meeting. No action was taken; staff will return with the requested data and legal analysis.