Dickinson County Health Insurance Renewal Comes In at 2% Increase
Dickinson County HR Director Marcia Schneider told commissioners on October 22 that the county's employee health insurance plan is renewing at a lower-than-expected rate for 2027. Schneider said the plan ran well this year, producing favorable renewal numbers.
A 5% renewal option was available, but a plan design change brought the increase down to about 2%. Schneider said the primary difference in the 2% option was the removal of an out-of-network benefit. The county also eliminated one of the Comfort Fit plans — a $6,500 out-of-pocket maximum plan — leaving four plan options, including two co-pay plans, a high-deductible HSA plan, and a Comfort Fit plan with a $5,000 deductible.
Officials said the county had budgeted for flat health insurance costs in 2027. Schneider said that by comparison, some other counties she contacted were facing increases of 10% to 18%. She also reported a flat renewal on the county's property insurance and noted a buffer of about $200,000 available to help cover both health and property insurance costs. Officials cautioned that keeping employee rates flat is not guaranteed in future years and would depend on claims, staffing changes, and budget decisions.
Commissioners indicated they were comfortable keeping employee rates flat for the coming year. Open enrollment will run October 28 through November 8, with BKD representatives available to assist employees on October 29. Schneider also said the county plans to make MASA ambulance transport coverage, which has cost the county about $15,000 a year for the past three years, a voluntary benefit that employees may choose.
