BRIEF: Williamson Co. employees to face increases in health insurance costs

June 20--GEORGETOWN -- Williamson County commissioners on Tuesday approved paying $804,000 extra next year to help cover the increased cost of health care insurance for county employees.

Employees also face monthly increases on the amount they will pay for health care insurance ranging from $20 to $105 based on what plan they use and how many people in their family are covered.

The county provides health care insurance for its more than 1,800 employees and retirees. The cost increases to employees in 2018 include increases in the copay for prescriptions and increases in the copay for visits to specialists.

The price of health care has gone up along with the cost of providing insurance to spouses of employees, said Tara Raymore, the county's director of human resources. The 10 highest health claims for the county included many from spouses, she said. She said she couldn't comment on what the claims were for because of medical privacy laws.

The county will lose half a million dollars on its insurance plan this year, Raymore said. The increased contributions by the county and by employees in 2018 will erase that deficit and help the county build up a reserve of about $400,000, she said.

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