Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Health Insurance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Litchfield board votes to shift employee coverage from SchoolCare to OneDigital
Summary
The Litchfield School Board approved a planned move off SchoolCare to OneDigital effective July 1, 2026, saying plans and employee contributions will remain the same while the district adopts a captive/self‑insured model to control claims and build reserves.
The Litchfield School Board approved a switch of the district’s employee health insurance from SchoolCare to OneDigital, voting 3‑0 to authorize the change effective July 1, 2026.
Superintendent O’Connell told the board the decision follows a surprise assessment this year that required the district to cover roughly $430,000 charged by SchoolCare. He said the administration has worked with employee groups and brokers to find an alternative that preserves the same insurance plans and out‑of‑pocket costs for staff while changing how the district manages risk.
“What we are prepared to do is leave SchoolCare and move to OneDigital effective July 1st for everybody in the district,” O’Connell said. “Nothing is changing. That is the absolute we had with everybody as we went through this process.”
Administration described the new arrangement as a move to a captive/self‑insured model in which the district initially assumes more of its claims risk but can join stop‑loss and captive layers to limit exposure. Board members and the superintendent emphasized the district has added a reserve through a recent warrant article to mitigate that risk.
The board’s approval came after a presentation that laid out options the district considered — including staying in SchoolCare, self‑insuring alone, or joining a captive group — and explained the anticipated budgetary effect. Administrators said the change is intended to slow the year‑to‑year rate increase rather than immediately reduce total premium spending: the district estimated a roughly 14.4% increase in the previous year that it hopes to temper going forward by controlling claims and building reserves.
Board members asked about legal and operational steps while the district remains in SchoolCare through June 30, 2026. O’Connell and the business office said the district remains responsible for any SchoolCare assessments incurred through that date and has been monitoring SchoolCare’s financial reporting.
The motion passed 3‑0. The board directed administration to continue staff and union communications to explain the change and to notify employees about any new ID cards or network details associated with the OneDigital/Anthem network.
