Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Health Insurance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Banner County approves one-year health plan renewal with 3,500 HSA
Summary
The Banner County Board approved a one-year renewal of the county group health plan after a presentation that said rates rose 9%; the board authorized the chair to sign the contract and accepted a $3,500 HSA plan to preserve employee benefits.
Nick Lee, the insurance presenter, told the Banner County Board that the county’s group health plan renewal came with a 9% increase and that the program had a rough start to the year, leaving the carrier with limited room to negotiate. "We did take a 9% increase this year," Lee said, and added the group’s loss ratio and experience limited competing offers.
Lee recommended keeping the current plan design and the $3,500 health savings account option for another year, saying it preserved value for employees and continued to compare favorably with alternatives. He estimated the cost increase to the county at $15,835 based on the current census and said the county was still below what alternative 2023-rate scenarios would have cost.
Commissioners asked whether plan design changes could lower costs; Lee said raising the deductible would cut about half the increase but would reduce employee-facing benefits. After discussion the board moved to accept the consultant’s recommendation to renew the plan and authorize the chair to sign the Sigma plan with a $3,500 HSA.
The motion was seconded and the board took a roll-call vote. The recorded votes in the transcript were: Don — abstain; Robin — yes; the third vote recorded as yes. The board directed staff to obtain the required signature and finalize the renewal paperwork.
The county’s benefits adviser said staff would monitor month-to-month experience and re-evaluate market options next spring. The contract will run for one year and staff will return with any recommendations at the next routine review.
