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Business administrator says tentative HESSA agreement should avoid district fiscal impact
Summary
Business Administrator Lance Fomino told the budget committee negotiators have a tentative deal with HealthTrust that would offer lower-cost plan options and is expected to avoid a negative fiscal impact for the district; more details will be shared during open enrollment and at a future meeting.
Business Administrator Lance Fomino told the Hollis/Brookline Cooperative School District budget committee that negotiators have reached a tentative agreement with HealthTrust that should avoid a fiscal hit to the district while providing additional plan options to employees.
Fomino said some plans previously projected a 15.1% increase, but the tentative agreement includes offsetting options that could make the district whole and, in some cases, result in savings for staff who shift to lower-cost plans. "It seems to be a good solution for both the school staff and the district," Fomino said, adding that the current plan will remain available for employees who prefer it.
Why it matters: Health insurance costs are a material element of the district’s compensation and budget planning. Committee members pressed for clarity on how the district cap will interact with employee choices; Fomino said the cap could exceed plan cost in some cases, producing savings, and that open enrollment and HealthTrust representatives will provide detailed enrollment options and cost information ahead of the new fiscal year.
Next steps: Fomino said he expects to share more precise enrollment numbers and plan choices at the March committee meeting and during open enrollment (before July 1). The committee did not take formal action on HESSA at the meeting; the item was informational.
Ending: Committee members thanked Fomino for the update and requested a more detailed cost and participation estimate at an upcoming meeting prior to finalizing contract-year budgets.
