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Amherst County agrees to absorb $434,412 health-plan increase, adds lower-deductible option for employees
Summary
After a presentation by Pierce Group Benefits, the Board of Supervisors voted to fund a roughly $434,412 premium increase for 2026 and to add a new Key Advantage 250 plan option for employees; the change comes amid pharmacy-driven inflation and an estimated $554,000 potential exit fee if the county leaves the Local Choice pool.
Crystal Kaminsky, a benefits consultant with Pierce Group Benefits, told the Amherst County Board of Supervisors that the county—s health plan faces a 14.4% renewal increase for 2026 driven primarily by pharmacy spending. "Pharmacy benefits are driving about 40% of the overall cost for medical spend," Kaminsky said, pointing to recently high utilization of GLP‑1 drugs and other specialty prescriptions.
Kaminsky described the county—s participation in the Local Choice (TLC) pooled program administered by the Virginia Department of Human Resource Management, noting the pool covers more than 335 employer groups and roughly 60,000 lives. She said the design of TLC bundles medical, behavioral health, prescription, dental and…
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