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Committee weighs FY2026 health-plan changes for employees, briefly approves switch of retiree Medicare Advantage vendor before later reversing
Summary
The committee reviewed FY2026 renewal proposals from Acrisure, tentatively approved moving Medicare Advantage retirees to Humana and switching the group plan to Simply Blue while adding a GLP-1 weight-loss medication program; minutes note the Medicare Advantage decision was later changed at Regular Session to remain with Blue Cross Blue Shield.
At the Aug. 5, 2025 meeting, the Chippewa County Personnel/Equalization and Apportionment/Transportation/Health and Social Services Committee reviewed FY2026 health-plan renewal materials provided by Acrisure and approved motions to change vendor options and plan design with the stated aim of reducing costs while maintaining member access.
Health Officer Karen Senkus summarized the broker’s recommendations, saying the proposed Humana Medicare Advantage passive-design plan would allow members to access care at MyMichigan Health without disruption even if that provider is out of network under Humana, and that the change could generate cost savings for retirees. The committee voted, on a motion by Commissioner Scott Shackleton supported by Commissioner Justin Knepper, to approve the recommended change to Humana for Medicare Advantage retirees and to approve shifting the active employee group plan from Community Blue to Simply Blue. The motions were recorded as carried on voice votes.
Acrisure’s proposal also included an option to add a Weight Loss Medication program for GLP‑1 drugs that would remove those drugs from the plan’s pharmacy benefit manager flow and offer employees a vendor card; committee minutes record the county intended to roll back a prior decision to increase GLP‑1 copays and instead set employee copays at either about $40 or $80 per month depending on final cost projections.
A later note in the minutes records that, following the committee meeting, the motion to switch Medicare Advantage to Humana was changed during the Board’s Regular Session after updated Blue Cross Blue Shield rates were presented; the county stayed with Blue Cross Blue Shield for Medicare Advantage coverage. The minutes do not record the detailed rate numbers presented at Regular Session.
What happens next: Administration awaited final cost figures from Acrisure to determine exact copays for the GLP‑1 program and implemented the board’s later decision to retain Blue Cross Blue Shield for retiree Medicare Advantage.
