Board approves 2026-27 health plan renewal, adopts 85/15 employer/employee split

Meriwether County commissioners voted April 13 to renew employee health benefits with Anthem for the 2026-27 plan year and to absorb most of the premium increase by approving an 85% employer / 15% employee contribution split.

The county's benefits consultant, Dagmar Wfcrtzen of Mark III, told the Board that Anthem's initial renewal of 25.5% was negotiated to 19.9% and that alternate carriers quoted higher increases (Cigna ~21.9%, UnitedHealthcare ~34%); Aetna declined to quote because of the account's high claims. Wfcrtzen said the county's total claims for the plan year were roughly $1.42 million and that per-member per-month costs had increased from about $500 in 2023 to $700 in 2025.

"A decision is needed from the County on whether to remain with Anthem or select an alternative carrier," Wfcrtzen said, noting Anthem preserves continuity of care, network stability and prior authorizations. County Administrator John Gorton presented contribution scenarios and recommended the Board choose how much of the $427,286 total increase to pass to employees.

Commissioner Adam Worsley moved, and Vice Chairman Jennifer Snelson seconded, a motion to approve Option B: an 85% employer / 15% employee split across coverage tiers. The motion passed unanimously. Under that option, monthly employee cost changes were presented by staff (for example, single coverage would rise by about $25.88 per month under the selected split).

Why this matters: The move preserves county continuity with Anthem while limiting the monthly premium increase employees will pay. The Board and benefits consultant emphasized open-enrollment education and wellness programs to help control future utilization and pharmacy costs.

Next steps: Staff was authorized to finalize paperwork and the Chair or Vice Chair was allowed to sign benefit-related documents to implement the 2026-27 plan.