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City keeps employee benefits, switches prescription manager to TrueScripts as insurance costs rise 1.4%
Summary
At a July 20 council meeting, Thompson’s Insurance told the council the city's renewal showed an approximate 1.4% overall increase and no changes to deductibles, copays or employee premiums; the city changed its prescription drug manager to TrueScripts effective July 1, officials said.
Marilyn of Thompson's Insurance presented the city's insurance renewal and said fixed costs were up but expected and maximum claims were down, producing an overall increase of about 1.4% for the renewal that began July 1. She told council the insurance committee recommended keeping benefits — deductibles, copays and employee premiums — unchanged.
Marilyn explained the city retained safeguards in the plan, including a 50% cap on premium increases and protections against individual 'lasers' that would single out an employee for very large increases. She said the city moved its prescription‑drug management to TrueScripts effective July 1 and that the transition had no material disruptions beyond a new logo on ID cards.
On coverage details, staff and council discussed that some over‑the‑counter items have not been covered historically and that preapproval processes differed among managers; Marilyn said the vendor worked through a small number of pharmacy hold‑ups quickly and encouraged employees to contact the insurance office for assistance.
Quote from the presentation: Marilyn said, “So when we put all of that together ... our overall increase, we saw about a 1.4% increase.”
The council did not take a formal vote on insurance changes at the meeting; staff said they will continue to monitor claims and assist employees with pharmacy issues as the new drug manager settles into regular operations.
