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Smyth County approves 25% health‑insurance renewal; county to cover 80% of the increase
Summary
The Smyth County Board of Supervisors approved a personnel‑committee recommendation to accept FY27 health‑insurance renewal rates capped at a 25% increase, with the county continuing to pay 80% of premiums; the decision drew questions about employee costs and potential budgetary strain.
The Smyth County Board of Supervisors on March 12 approved a personnel‑committee recommendation to accept annual health‑insurance renewal rates for FY27 that increase premiums by 25%, with the county continuing to fund 80% of the cost.
"The county got our health insurance renewals back and our rates are going up 25%," said Dr. Ratliff during the committee report, explaining that the increase was capped and that prescription usage, not overall medical claims, had driven the rise.
Why it matters: The county administrator told the board the 25% renewal will raise employer costs by roughly $700,000 in the coming year, creating pressure on an already tight FY27 budget. Supervisors emphasized outreach to employees and options such as high‑deductible plans with HSAs and FSAs to reduce out‑of‑pocket shocks.
Board discussion and details: Committee members discussed a new $150 deductible for non‑generic (tier two and three) prescriptions, the benefit of offering HSA/FSA options, and whether the county would contribute to employee HSAs as an incentive for selecting a high‑deductible plan. Officials noted the county is a member of the Local Choice pool and that part of renewal calculations come from the pooled experience of many localities.
The personnel/insurance committee recommended approval and the full board affirmed that recommendation by voice vote. The county will continue to pay 80% of monthly premiums, with employees responsible for the remaining share; staff said detailed breakout tables and open‑enrollment materials will be made available to employees before plan changes take effect.
Next steps: County staff said they will schedule additional employee education about plan choices and the HSA/FSA options ahead of open enrollment and will hold further insurance‑committee discussions before the next board meeting.
