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Henry Hudson board warned to budget for steep health-care and prescription cost increases
Summary
Business Administrator Janet Sherlock told the board the district should plan for a 30% increase in health-care premiums and a 45% rise in prescription costs in January 2027 (on top of a 32% increase in Jan. 2026), calling the change "not sustainable" and signaling more work for the finance committee as state aid timing remains uncertain.
Business Administrator Janet Sherlock told the Henry Hudson Regional PK-12 Board of Education on Jan. 21 that the district is facing large health-care cost increases that must be factored into next year’s budget.
Sherlock said the district’s insurance broker has advised budgeting for a 30% increase in health-care premiums and a 45% increase in prescription costs effective January 2027, in addition to a 32% increase that took effect in January 2026. "This increase is not sustainable in our budget," she said, and indicated the finance committee will continue to meet to address options.
The Superintendent, Dr. Tara Beams, told the board that other costs such as transportation are also rising and that the district is awaiting final state aid figures after a new governor took office; Sherlock said the state-aid numbers are likely to be delayed by about two weeks and that the district’s budget calendar may be pushed back one week while they await official notice.
Board members did not debate specific cuts or offsets during the meeting; instead, the administration said it will continue to work with the finance committee and bring proposals back to the board. The agenda included related business items such as bills and claims and the board’s standard financial reports.
Next steps: the administration will continue budget planning with the finance committee and report updated revenue and expenditure projections once state aid figures are released.
