Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Employee Health Insurance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Accomack supervisors authorize switch to Anthem HealthKeepers to blunt rising employee health costs
Summary
The Accomack County Board of Supervisors voted to authorize the county administrator to contract with Anthem to move employees to the Anthem HealthKeepers network; staff projects about $300,000 in annual savings but employees still face meaningful premium increases in FY27.
The Accomack County Board of Supervisors voted to authorize the county administrator to enter a contract with Anthem to move the county’s employee health plan to the Anthem HealthKeepers network.
County Administrator Mike Mason told the board the change is intended to reduce the projected hit to the FY27 budget from health‑insurance costs. “We can bring [a projected 28% increase] down to 20%,” Mason said, adding that the network change equates to an estimated $300,000 in annual savings.
The board’s approval followed a presentation from David Costa of Gallagher Benefit Services, who explained that the county has experienced unusually large claimant activity that pushed up carrier costs and stop‑loss pricing. Costa described the HealthKeepers option as a network with slightly greater discounts and minimal disruption to members; his file‑match analysis showed roughly 98% provider overlap for the county’s experience.
Nut graf: The vote authorizes staff to finalize a contract with Anthem and to shift county employees onto HealthKeepers if executed; the change is projected to lower the county’s premium exposure but will not eliminate a sizable year‑over‑year premium increase that employees will share.
Mason and Costa emphasized the tradeoffs. Mason noted employee monthly contributions would rise under the plans presented: an example shown to the board put employee‑only contributions on the higher (platinum) option rising from $187 to $225 per month and family premiums increasing by several hundred dollars per month on the high plan. Mason stressed the increases remain “substantial” for employees even after the network change.
The motion to accept staff’s recommendation (moved by a board member and seconded) passed on an oral vote. Mason said any contract will be subject to review by the county attorney before implementation. The board also instructed staff to communicate the change to employees once the final decision is executed.
