Caswell County will absorb $150,600 InCHIP premium increase for employees

Caswell County commissioners voted March 16 to have the county absorb a $150,600 increase in employee health‑insurance costs tied to a 6% premium rise from the InCHIP pool.

Dave Costa, speaking for the insurance pool, said the organization has a longstanding goal of capping annual increases at about 6% and that recent market strains—principally demand for GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs—had driven larger projected increases in some plans. “NCIP has only had a policy of never passing off more than a 6% increase,” Costa said, adding that excluding GLP‑1 weight‑loss medications kept this year’s increase near 6% rather than the 10–12% range many entities would otherwise have seen.

Commissioner Smith moved that the county pay the full $150,600 increase for employees and that the amount be considered during COBRA and budgetary reviews; Commissioner Ingram seconded the motion and the board approved it by voice vote. County staff noted the expense could be covered by repurposing contingency funds and that any unused contingency would roll back into the general fund.

Officials said diabetics would still have access to necessary medications—the change targets weight‑loss uses of GLP‑1 drugs—and that future years’ costs remain subject to market forces. The board directed staff to include the expense in budget discussions for FY 2026‑27 and to factor it into COLA and COBRA calculations going forward.