Committee recommends employee health plan terms; county to absorb proposed 6% rate increase pending legislative approval

The Budget Committee voted to recommend agenda item 2206282 — a 12‑month term and supply contract with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City for county employee group health insurance — and discussed whether the county would absorb a proposed 6% uptick in rates.

Gina Campbell, interim HR director, introduced Cheryl Coulter, interim director of finance, and a CBIZ representative, saying open enrollment is underway and proposed rates are still subject to final confirmation. A committee lawmaker said county leadership (the county executive and chair of the legislature) intended that the 6% increase be absorbed by the county rather than passed to employees; Campbell confirmed the clause is subject to legislative approval. "The mutual desire ... is that the 6% uptick in cost be absorbed by the county, not passed along to our employees," the lawmaker said; Campbell replied that the item would be handled "with the clause subject to legislative approval."

The committee voted to recommend the item for adoption and will forward it to the legislature for final action.

Why it matters: The decision shapes employee premiums for the coming benefit year; absorbing the rate increase would shield employees from higher out‑of‑pocket costs but shifts the additional expense to county funds.

What happens next: The committee recommended the item to the full legislature for approval; final rates remain subject to confirmation in the contracting process and legislative action.