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District warns of rising insurance costs; Calexico projects about 8.6% premium increase
Summary
Assistant superintendent Romel Guerrero told the board statewide cost pressures and large claims in the CISC pool are driving a projected 8.6% average premium increase for Calexico employees next year; the committee is evaluating proactive care plan options.
Romel Guerrero, assistant superintendent for human resources and risk management, briefed the board on health and welfare benefit trends affecting Calexico Unified.
Guerrero cited statewide drivers such as rising prescription costs (cancer drugs up sharply), increased hospital utilization, and lingering delayed care since the COVID‑era. He said CISC (the districts’ insurance pool) has absorbed a greater number of large claims this year, including several claims above $1.3 million and a highest single pool claim of about $7.2 million; that pooled experience is pushing expected premium increases for 2025–26.
For Calexico specifically, Guerrero said the district’s average premium increase being planned is approximately 8.6% for the upcoming year. The insurance committee is evaluating proactive care programs (platinum/gold/platinum plus tiers) that remove copays for primary care visits and certain labs in exchange for higher premium contributions; the committee will recommend whether to add one of those plans to the district’s offerings.
Why it matters: Trustees will need to weigh employee benefit design against budget pressures and employee cost‑sharing. Guerrero said the committee is working with labor representatives and management to identify options intended to lower long‑term costs while minimizing out‑of‑pocket burden for staff.
