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Blair Township approves 2026 health plan, dental and vision; drafts budget advertised for public inspection
Summary
The Blair Township Board approved renewing the current UPMC Gold EPO (Premium) health plan for 2026 despite a 12.5% increase, approved dental and vision plans, and voted to advertise the 2026 draft budget for the 21-day public inspection period.
Secretary/Treasurer Kami Bilek presented the township’s 2026 benefit options and the draft budget at the Nov. 18 meeting. She told supervisors the current UPMC Premium plan carries a 12.5% increase over 2025; an HMO option would increase costs by 6.4%, while a Partner plan would reduce premiums by about 1.3% but restrict care to UPMC-owned physicians.
"The current plan, which is the UPMC Premium Plan, has a 12.5% increase from 2025," Secretary/Treasurer Kami Bilek said. She advised the board that pharmacy cost sharing would change under some options to 30% (capped at $500) and that the budget as prepared assumed the HMO; choosing the Premium plan would produce an estimated $4,000 deficit depending on year-end carryover.
Supervisor Lou Lusk and Supervisor Brad Germaux said maintaining the Premium plan supports staff retention. "The Premium plan should continue to be used so that we can remain competitive for staff retention," Lusk said. The board voted unanimously to renew the 2026 health and hospitalization coverage using the current UPMC Gold EPO (Premium) plan. The board also unanimously approved the presented 2026 dental and vision plans.
Kami Bilek then presented the 2026 draft budget and the supervisors voted unanimously to advertise the draft budget for the required 21-day public inspection period prior to final adoption.
