Cole County raises employee health insurance rates
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Cole County Commission voted Tuesday to increase health insurance premiums for county employees in 2027, as rising medical and prescription costs put pressure on the county’s insurance budget.
Cole County self-funds its health insurance, meaning the county pays employees’ medical and prescription claims rather than paying an insurance company to cover them. The county also has stop-loss insurance to help cover especially expensive claims.
Under the new policy, the county will continue to cover 50% of dependent coverage costs, according to county Finance Director Jessica Bryant.
For employees enrolled in the traditional plan, premiums for employee-only coverage will increase from $25 to $40 per paycheck. Employee-plus-spouse coverage will cost $300 per paycheck, employee-plus-children coverage will cost $180, and employee-plus-family coverage will cost $480.
Under the high-deductible health savings account plan, employee-only coverage will increase from $25 to $30 per paycheck. Employee-plus-spouse coverage will cost $250 per paycheck, employee-plus-children coverage will cost $150, and employee-plus-family coverage will cost $405.
Bryant said the county will continue to contribute $80 per month to health savings accounts for employees with employee-only coverage.
The county is also switching its pharmacy benefits manager from SmithRx to ArrowRx. Bryant estimated the change would save the county about $100,000 annually.
The commission also approved increasing the stop-loss insurance deductible through Sun Life from $85,000 to $100,000. Under the new arrangement, the stop-loss insurer will cover eligible medical claims exceeding $100,000, leaving the county responsible for a larger portion of claims below that threshold.
During the Oct. 6 commission meeting, Western District Commissioner Harry Otto said only two or three individuals had claims exceeding $85,000 in the past year.
Presiding Commissioner Sam Bushman told ABC 17 News he does not like seeing health insurance costs rise for employees, but said the county is trying to limit the financial impact.
Bushman said the county encourages employees to use the county health department’s nurse practitioner and virtual telehealth services when appropriate to help reduce medical expenses.
He said medical costs, particularly prescription costs, have continued to rise, forcing the county to make difficult decisions about employee health coverage.
“We've been losing money, you know, there's some months we've lost like $50,000 … that we're absorbing. And, you know, you can't keep doing that,” Bushman said in an interview.
Bushman and Otto voted in favor of the 2027 health insurance changes. Eastern District Commissioner Jeff Hoelscher voted against them.
