Employee benefits panel report: staff backs 6.8% premium hike and recommends Sun Life dental plan

The Calcasieu Parish School Board on March 10 accepted the employee benefits committee's recommendations after the committee reported rising costs from clinic proposals and recommended changes to employee coverage.

Committee representative Billy Brogan told the board the committee reviewed responses to a clinic RFP and found a targeted plan cost near $900,000; he said the lowest annual fee among respondents in recent years was nearly $1.8 million, and staff recommended not pursuing clinic partnerships because of high projected costs. "Second, staff recommended an increase of 6.8% in employee health insurance premiums on a, which was unanimously carried by the committee," Brogan reported. The committee also recommended accepting Sun Life for 2026-27 dental benefits; that recommendation passed committee review and was forwarded to the full board.

The board moved and seconded the committee recommendations and the chair announced the motion carried. The committee's report led to two district-level actions: a recommended 6.8% increase in employee health-insurance premiums and selection of Sun Life for dental coverage for the 2026-27 plan year. The board did not record detailed vote tallies or identify the individual mover and seconder for the board-level action in the transcript; minutes reflect the committee's unanimous recommendation and the board vote carried by voice vote.

District staff noted the magnitude of proposed clinic costs and characterized the premium increase as a response to plan cost pressures. The board did not adopt further modifications at the meeting; staff will implement changes in plan design and communicate details to employees.

The committee meeting minutes and staff's RFP cost analysis were referenced as the basis for the recommendation; the full written RFP results were not read into the record at the meeting.