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Commissioners direct broker to pursue lower medical renewal, ask staff to bid dental
Summary
After hearing from GBS Benefits and a self‑funded trust, commissioners directed the broker to negotiate further with Blue Cross toward a 3% target (initial renewal 9.3% reduced to 7.3%) and authorized bids for dental and potentially vision to protect employee access to a local dentist who is out‑of‑network.
Teton County commissioners spent substantial time on Oct. 15 reviewing employee benefits renewal proposals.
AJ Argyle of GBS Benefits told the board the county’s Blue Cross medical renewal initially came in at about 9.3% and had been negotiated to 7.3%. Argyle said his negotiating target was near 4% but he could not guarantee that; commissioners asked him to continue to negotiate and he stated he would "go back to him with 3%" (as a bargaining approach) and report back with a final number.
Argyle walked the board through dollar impacts he provided on his comparison sheets: moving from a 9.3% increase to 7.3% reduced the projected county cost by roughly $19,000 in that example; a negotiated 4% outcome would further reduce the cost. Commissioners discussed whether to put benefits out to bid; Argyle and the board said changing carriers can cause plan design and network disruptions and that a 4% savings threshold was often the practical break‑even for switching carriers.
Commissioners also instructed staff to bid the dental plan because local employees raised access problems for a dentist in town who does not participate in some networks. Argyle proposed pursuing MetLife and customary‑and‑reasonable (UCR) reimbursement options to improve employee out‑of‑network reimbursement for that dentist and offered to return with cost comparisons showing several buy‑down and out‑of‑pocket scenarios.
Separately, Susan Lucero of IIIA described an alternate option: a self‑funded trust that uses Blue Cross as a third‑party administrator but can offer lower pharmacy co‑pays and on‑site wellness services. Lucero noted IIIA requires a three‑year joint powers agreement to prefund incurred‑but‑not‑paid liabilities; commissioners asked staff to analyze plan costs and implementation deadlines if they pursue that option.
Next steps the board directed: Argyle to continue negotiations and aim for a 3% target, staff to engage an employee committee for plan comparisons, and planning staff to return with quote and recommendation once firm renewal numbers are in hand.
