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County employee benefits: medical claims climb 16% while prescriptions hold steady, official says
Summary
At an April 1 budget board meeting, county benefits staff reported medical claims through March were up about 16% (roughly $2.2M), prescription claims were effectively flat, and pharmacy rebates of about $2M are expected in April to help the plan’s cash flow.
Oklahoma County staff told the Budget Board on April 1 that employee medical claims through the end of March have declined from recent peaks but remain up about 16% year‑to‑date (approximately $2.2 million), while prescription costs are roughly flat compared with last year.
John, presenting the employee benefits report, said the medical trend has improved from earlier months — from roughly 25% down to 16% — and attributed some of the month‑to‑month shifts to timing differences in when invoices and reimbursements arrive. He told the board the plan has seen about 20 new claimants with individual claims exceeding $100,000; staff do not currently expect those cases to trigger stop‑loss coverage this fiscal year.
On the prescription side, John said the prescription line is essentially showing a 0% increase, helped by pharmacy rebates. He noted the county expects roughly $2 million in pharmacy reimbursements and rebates in April that will improve fund balances. The county pharmacy also pre‑funds prescriptions and files claims through insurance, which creates timing effects for when reimbursements hit the plan.
Board members asked for additional reporting detail to aid comparison — specifically a column showing weeks paid vs. weeks invoiced and a one‑page snapshot that shows the department’s totals alongside the detailed line items. Staff agreed to provide both documents for future deliberations. John said the county is watching medical utilization closely through April, May and June and may ask for special meetings to address timing and cash‑flow issues.
The board moved and seconded a motion to receive the report, which passed by voice vote. The presentation did not include a requested vote to change plan benefits or premiums; it was an informational update.
