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DeKalb committee endorses health‑care rates and new voluntary employee benefits with no increase to employee contributions
Summary
County and Gallagher consultants briefed the IRPS committee on health care projections (Kaiser −1% renewal; Anthem self‑funded +8% projection) and recommended no change to employee or early retiree contributions; the committee approved the rates and added three employee‑paid voluntary benefits (hospital indemnity, identity‑theft protection, and pet insurance).
DeKalb County officials and benefits consultants presented the county’s employee health‑care outlook and voluntary benefit proposals to the IRPS committee, and the committee recommended moving the proposals forward without increasing employee contributions.
Consultant Nolan, the actuary, summarized plan projections: Anthem‑administered self‑funded plans were projected to increase about 8% for the July 2026–June 2027 plan year while Kaiser renewals indicated a roughly 1% decrease. County totals for medical, pharmacy, dental and life coverage were presented at about $132 million for the plan year, an increase of roughly 3.8% over the previous projection.
Gallagher consultant Brett Hayward said the recommendation is to keep employee and early‑retiree contributions flat, noting favorable renewals and that the county’s combined increase is below national trend. “We would continue to recommend we hold contributions flat,” the consultant said.
The consultants also proposed three new voluntary, employee‑paid benefits to be added to the offerings: a hospital indemnity policy, identity‑theft protection through Allstate, and pet insurance through Pet Partners. Consultants said there is no cost to the county for offering these voluntary benefits and enrollment would be employee‑paid.
Commissioners asked about how new medical technologies or therapies get added to plan coverage and asked for benchmarking and strategies for long‑term cost containment such as wellness programs and pharmacy interventions. Staff and consultants said they would follow up with comparative data and potential cost‑control strategies.
A motion recommending approval of the item passed by voice vote. The committee recorded no change to employee contributions and approved the addition of the voluntary benefits as employee‑paid options.
