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Nemaha County renews employee health plan with Blue Cross/Blue Shield despite higher premiums
Summary
After reviewing alternatives, the Nemaha County Board approved renewing the county’s health and dental plan with Blue Cross/Blue Shield for July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027, at a per-employee cost of $1,454.61 per month; NACO presented a Medica alternative but cautioned it may not guarantee lower premiums next year.
The Nemaha County Board of Commissioners voted June 17 to renew employee health and dental coverage with Blue Cross/Blue Shield for the plan year beginning July 1, 2026. The board approved the renewal after a presentation from NACO representatives outlining the insurer’s 14.65% premium increase and alternatives.
Judd Allen of NACO summarized the county’s options and presented a Medica quote that showed lower initial premiums but carried no guarantee those rates would persist into the following year. After hearing the options, the board approved the Blue Cross/Blue Shield renewal. The board recorded the total monthly per-employee cost at $1,454.61 and noted the county’s premium support for employees enrolled with family, spouse, or children coverage was set at 70% of the premium cost for that coverage tier.
The vote to renew the coverage followed the presentation and motioning process; the minutes record the motion carried with the participating commissioners voting in favor. The county did not adopt the Medica quote, citing the absence of a multi-year guarantee in that proposal.
Why it matters: county health insurance affects employee compensation and county budget projections. A one-year renewal at a higher premium increases near-term costs for the county and may influence budgeting for FY 2026–2027. The NACO representative’s presentation left open the possibility of renegotiation or alternate carriers in future procurement cycles.
The board’s action takes effect July 1, 2026, and the county will implement the plan for the covered employees according to the enrollment rules noted at the meeting.
