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Los Banos Unified trustees vote to switch district health benefits after CVT presentation
Summary
After a study session with California’s Valued Trust, the Los Banos Unified Board of Trustees moved to change the district’s trustee/employee health benefits to CVT, approving the motion unanimously with one member absent; implementation depends on meeting enrollment deadlines for an Oct. 1 effective date.
Los Banos Unified Board of Trustees voted to change the district’s trustee and employee health benefits to California’s Valued Trust (CVT) following a detailed presentation and trustee questions about rates, networks and transition timing. The motion, moved by M kuso and seconded by Miss valo, was approved as "unanimous minus one absent."
CVT representative TI O'Brien told trustees the organization is a jointly managed, not-for-profit trust fund formed in 1984 that serves school districts and related employee groups and operates on single-year contracts without buyout obligations. "We are a not-for-profit trust fund that provides benefits to school districts, community colleges, County Office of Ed and also the California School Employees Association," O'Brien said, describing CVT's governance and service model. She added CVT handles enrollment operations, COBRA and retiree billing in-house.
Trustees pressed for specifics on plan design and network access. CVT said it matched plan options to the district’s current administrator where possible and highlighted a difference in how out-of-pocket costs are tracked: "CIS is tracking your medical in a bucket and they're tracking your Pharmacy co-pays in a bucket; CVT we combine that bucket ... you have one out-of-pocket maximum," O'Brien said. She also explained pharmacy management differences: CVT uses CVS Caremark while the district's current administrator uses Navitus and that some retailers (for example, Costco via CVS) remain available under CVT’s PBM.
On rates, O'Brien said CVT had communicated a 5% renewal to the teachers' bargaining unit for the upcoming October plan year and provided an eight-year rate-history overview. She recommended districts interested in switching notify CVT by early August to secure ID cards and operational readiness for an Oct. 1 effective date; CVT noted historically some carriers require earlier cutoffs and referenced a July 1 historical deadline for departures.
Trustees asked about high-cost specialty medications, prior authorization and virtual care. O'Brien said specialty drugs are coordinated through CVS specialty pharmacy and that some GLP-1 and other high-cost medications require prior authorization; she also highlighted telemedicine and behavioral health options available through MD Live and Anthem digital tools.
Several trustees raised comparisons on total cost for typical employees. CVT provided rate sheets in the packet and offered to run one-on-one comparisons against the district’s CIS materials. Board discussion acknowledged individual circumstances vary and that some employees might see higher out-of-pocket costs for prescriptions while still saving on monthly premiums.
After the presentation and discussion, M kuso moved to change the district’s health provider to CVT; Miss valo seconded. The board approved the motion, recorded as "unanimous minus one absent." Meeting participants discussed scheduling additional meetings and deadlines to complete enrollment logistics ahead of an Oct. 1 effective date.
The board also handled routine personnel items earlier in the meeting and adjourned after the vote. The district and CVT will complete follow-up steps to finalize enrollment details and confirm carrier timelines.
