Prince Edward County adopts higher-deductible base plan as health‑care costs surge

The Prince Edward County Board of Supervisors approved a change to the county's employee health‑insurance offerings after finance staff and consultant OneDigital presented renewal scenarios showing substantial increases in pharmacy and medical claims.

What the board approved: On a staff recommendation the board chose the option that establishes a higher deductible plan ("KeyCare 1000") as the county's base plan while preserving the existing lower‑deductible plans as voluntary buy‑ups. The motion was adopted to better align projected claim costs with the county's budget and to reduce the employer share increase required under other renewal options.

Why it mattered: Staff emphasized that pharmacy costs now account for a large share of the county's health expenditures and that maintaining the current base plan would lead to much higher employer and employee costs. The consultant presented four standard cost‑sharing options and an alternative that moves the base plan to the higher deductible; the board adopted that alternative (referred to in materials as Option 5 / KeyCare 1000).

What employees should know: Under the approved change employees who prefer a lower deductible may keep that coverage by paying the buy‑up premium; the county will continue to offer choices intended to balance affordability with fiscal sustainability. Board members discussed the potential out‑of‑pocket effects on employees with chronic conditions and noted that pharmacy spending is driving the change.

Vote and next steps: The board approved the staff recommendation by roll call. Human resources and finance staff will implement the plan change for the FY27 enrollment period, communicate premium and deductible changes to employees, and monitor claims activity for future budget cycles.