Board approves new 2026–27 health insurance options; district estimates ~$313,000 fiscal impact
Loading...
Summary
Durango School District No. 9‑R approved new 2026–27 employee health insurance plans (adding PPO 9 and a high‑deductible 7) after a staff survey. Finance director Kara Horan said the district’s share would average a 7% increase (~$313,000) but individual employees could see savings or as much as a 12% rise depending on plan choice.
The Durango School District No. 9‑R Board approved new health insurance rates for the 2026–27 fiscal year, adopting plan changes recommended by the district’s health insurance committee.
Kara Horan, the district finance director, told the board that the committee reviewed plan options after a staff survey that ranked affordability as a top priority. The recommendation preserves the district’s employer/employee premium breakout but adds two plan choices—PPO 9 and a high‑deductible Plan 7—alongside the existing PPO 5 so employees can select options that better match their cost preferences and coverage needs.
Horan said the district estimates an average fiscal impact of approximately $313,000 (about 7% overall) next year; she noted that, depending on which plan an employee elects, some employees could see a small savings while others could experience an increase of up to roughly 12%. The committee did not change the employer/employee percentage splits this year. The board moved to approve the 2026–27 health insurance rates and the motion passed in roll call.
Board members praised the finance team for clean audits and careful planning. Horan said the committee’s assumptions include plan shifts among employees (for example, movement from PPO 4 to PPO 5) when estimating cost impact. The district will finalize plan documents and publish them to employees.
