Benefits consultant offers shared‑savings review of Douglas County employee health plan

Kara Kirsch, founder and CEO of the Kirsch Group, presented to the Douglas County Board of Commissioners on June 2 a proposal to provide board‑specific fiduciary education and an independent review of the county's self‑funded employee health plan.

Kirsch said the county’s health plan is complex and that board members need clear, contract‑level line of sight before signing multimillion‑dollar budget items. She described deliverables that include an intake and document review, a quality assessment of contract components (TPA, PBM, stop‑loss), tailored board materials with FAQs, a live workshop and an executive summary ahead of the 2027 budget process. "The project is a fee-based project... I'm prepared to do the project at no cost based on a shared savings arrangement," she told the board, adding that the shared‑savings split would be 25% with an upper cap she described in the presentation.

Commissioners expressed support for an independent, board‑focused review: "I think it's an excellent investment by the county to have your expertise in a check without any cost to us," Commissioner Morgan said. Members of the public with benefits and actuarial experience also urged the board to take an independent look.

The item was for presentation only and could return for formal action later in the budget cycle; no vote on contracting occurred at the meeting.

What’s next: The board may place the item on a future agenda for procurement and contract review if it elects to pursue the proposed scope and shared‑savings terms.