Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Employee Benefits topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Dysart board approves 2026–27 employee health plan; district and trust to absorb rate increase
Summary
The Dysart Unified board approved the district’s 2026–27 employee health benefit plan after benefits staff said projected medical and pharmacy costs are rising about 9.6% but the district and benefits trust will cover increases so employees see no premium increase.
The Dysart Unified School District governing board on Feb. 23 approved the district’s recommended employee health benefit plan for the 2026–27 fiscal year after trustees heard a detailed presentation on projected claims and funding.
Benefits staff (identified in the record as Miss Spidell) told the board the district is self‑insured and currently projects total medical and pharmacy costs of about $19.3 million for the coming year, reflecting an estimated 9.6% renewal increase compared with the prior year. Staff said an estimated $1.3 million in pharmacy rebates and a combination of district and employee‑benefits‑trust contributions will allow employees to avoid a rise in their monthly premiums.
The presentation said the district will continue to offer two medical plan options (an HSA‑eligible high‑deductible plan and a PPO buy‑up) with no design changes beyond required IRS deductible adjustments for HSA compliance; the HSA deductible will increase by $100 for individuals and $200 for families to meet federal rules. Staff also described a $720 monthly district contribution toward eligible employees (stated as $8,640 annually per eligible employee) and a continued program of matching HSA contributions and wellness incentives.
Board members asked questions about the trust reserve, investment approach and stop‑loss coverage. Staff said the district and the benefits trust plan to absorb the increase (the trust indicated it would contribute up to about $1.2 million toward the increase), leaving employee premium rates unchanged for 2026–27.
A motion to approve the employee health benefit plan for 2026–27 carried on a board vote recorded in the meeting minutes.
Next steps: Staff will implement the plan design changes required by IRS rules and continue monthly oversight of the benefits trust; the board will be informed if further adjustments are needed.
