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Fallon County commission votes to move employee health coverage to Mako after debate on costs and service
Summary
After lengthy discussion of premiums, plan design and administrative impacts, the Fallon County Commission approved a motion to end the county's self-insured program and contract with Mako as the county's employee health insurer effective July 1. Commissioners said follow-up work sessions will set plan details and transition steps.
The Fallon County Commission voted to replace its self-insured employee health plan with coverage administered by Mako, a move commissioners and staff said will trade the county's current self-insurance model for a larger network and vendor support.
The insurance committee had recommended the change, and Speaker 5 framed the motion to the board: "The insurance committee has recommended that we stop being self insured and go with Mako as our insurance provider as of July 1," (Speaker 5). Supporters cited access to more plan designs, direct customer service and built-in benefits such as an employee assistance program and employer-paid life insurance that are bundled in Mako's proposals.
Critics and some commissioners warned the shift will increase premiums for the county and could create short-term complications for employees during the transition. Speaker 13, a member of the committee leading the review, said the trade-off is service and stability: "Pros are service, people ' someone to talk to ... Lots more options, which can be helpful to our employees," (Speaker 13). Commissioners discussed whether to align the county's plan year to calendar-year or fiscal-year timing and how to account for January'June deductible credits in the first 18 months of a July start.
The commission made and seconded a motion to adopt Mako as the county's insurance provider and approved it by voice vote. The vote was taken as a voice roll call; minutes record a majority ``aye'' and the chair declared the motion carried. County staff said they will notify the current administrator and return to the commission in a work session to determine plan options, HSA/FSA administration and budgetary details needed to implement the change.
What happens next: staff will prepare termination notices, draft required letters to the current self-insurance administrator and convene follow-up sessions with the insurance committee to finalize plan choices, enrollment procedures and any short-term premium timing decisions for employees. No specific dollar figure for the county's future premium obligation was adopted at the meeting; commissioners said precise budget numbers will be provided at the next work session.
