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Commissioners approve 2026 stop‑loss plan with $200,000 specific deductible
Summary
County HR presented health plan updates and stop‑loss options; after discussion of risk tolerance and claim frequency, commissioners approved the 2026 stop‑loss proposal with a $200,000 annual specific deductible and authorized the chairman to sign.
County HR presented the annual Smith Rx plan update and stop‑loss insurance options ahead of open enrollment. Gary McLean explained changes to IRS HSA thresholds for 2026 and reviewed the county trust’s reserves and claims history.
Commissioners discussed raising the specific annual deductible from $200,000 to $225,000 to lower premiums but increase the county's exposure to high‑cost claims. McLean said large claims have become more frequent and costly and provided his assessment of risk; commissioners debated the break‑even point and trend data. Ultimately the board voted to approve the 2026 stop‑loss proposal with a $200,000 specific deductible and authorized the chair to sign the attached proposal.
McLean said he would run additional claims‑history reports to inform future tolerance decisions. Commissioners framed the vote as a risk‑management judgment that balances short‑term premium savings against exposure to high individual claims.
