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Fulton County keeps employeesmonthly health-insurance contribution steady for 2026 as budget review continues
Summary
Commissioners held a second review of the 2026 budget and approved keeping employees' monthly health-insurance contribution unchanged for 2026, which reduces employees' percentage share from 10% to about 8% because premiums rose. A department-head budget meeting is set for Nov. 18 to prepare public advertisement.
Fulton County commissioners on Nov. 4 continued a second review of the proposed 2026 budget and voted to maintain employeesmonthly dollar contribution for health insurance, meaning employeesshare of the premium will fall from 10% to about 8% given higher overall premiums.
The meeting in McConnellsburg included CFO Mike Lamb of Wessel and Co. and Fiscal Administrator Sue Reed, who presented updated revenue and expenditure estimates and asked the board to schedule a department-head session. Commissioners agreed to meet with department heads on Nov. 18 to secure verbal approval to advertise the budget to the public.
Commissioner Randy H. Bunch moved to authorize HR Administrator Mary Huston to execute the PCHIP/Highmark 2026 renewal documents and to hold employee monthly contributions at the current dollar amount. The commissioners approved the motion unanimously. County documents provided by HR indicated that keeping the employee dollar amount unchanged would lower employees' percentage contribution from 10% (2025) to roughly 8% in 2026 because of the premium increase.
The cost implications are expected to be reflected in the advertised budget; commissioners did not adopt a final advertised budget at the Nov. 4 session. The board said the Nov. 18 meeting with department heads is intended to confirm numbers and authorize the public advertisement required before final adoption.
No formal vote on the overall budget was recorded at the Nov. 4 meeting; the record shows only the continued review, the schedule for Nov. 18, and the insurance-authorizing motion. The county identified the health plan as PCHIP/Highmark; specific premium dollar totals for the county or employees beyond the percentage change were not specified in the meeting record.
What happens next: commissioners will review department-head feedback on Nov. 18 and, if satisfied, authorize advertisement of the proposed 2026 budget to the public.
