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Personnel Committee recommends renewing 2025 health plans for 2026; employees to cover premium increases
Summary
The Zeeland Personnel Committee voted Oct. 22 to recommend renewing the citys 2025 health insurance plans with the Western Michigan Health Insurance Pool for 2026 and amended funding policies for full-time employee health and prescription dental coverage; employees will pay amounts exceeding the citys hard cap.
The Zeeland Personnel Committee voted Oct. 22 to recommend renewing the citys 2025 health plans with the Western Michigan Health Insurance Pool for 2026 and to amend funding policies for full-time employee health and prescription dental coverage effective Jan. 2026, minutes show.
City Manager Klunder outlined the proposal, saying the pools proposed premium increases average 6.1% while the citys funding hard cap remains 2.9%, meaning employees will pay the difference. Based on plan selections, staff estimated employee premium increases would range roughly from $0 to $41.15 for family coverage, $19.89 to $33.93 for two-person coverage, and $0 to $14.45 for single coverage.
Klunder also said one change is required by the Internal Revenue Service: the high-deductible health plan deductibles must rise from $1,650 to $1,700 for single coverage and from $3,300 to $3,400 for two-person and family coverage to meet IRS rules.
Committee members discussed dental coverage options. Staff reported Delta Dental offered to hold current dental rates, while the Western Michigan pool proposed expanding its dental pool and estimated about a 9% reduction in rates under a different administrator; staff said they will return with a comparison and a recommendation.
BPW Vice Chair Cooney moved to recommend renewing the 2025 health plans with the Western Michigan Health Insurance Pool for 2026; Council Member VanDorp seconded. The committee voted unanimously to pass the motion. Cooney then moved, and VanDorp seconded, to amend the citys funding policies for full-time employees health and prescription dental coverage effective Jan. 2026; the motion was approved unanimously.
The committee did not modify plan coverage limits beyond the IRS-required deductible change. Staff indicated they will reconvene on dental plan details and bring back a recommendation.
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 AM and adjourned at 7:35 AM.
