Carter County government employees will see change in health insurance in July

ELIZABETHTON — The Carter County Commission still has a lot of concerns in setting a budget in the first year after Hurricane Helene, but the increase in employee health insurance has been resolved.

Amidst all of the concerns with rebuilding county roads and bridges, as well as repairing or building a new Hampton High School, the county commission was concerned that its employee health insurance premiums would increase next year by 18%.

The county commission voted unanimously on Monday night to switch to Cigna Insurance, which is providing an insurance plan very similar to the one Blue Cross/Blue Shield provided, but at a 1% increase over this year's rates.

The county employees have had their health insurance provided by Blue Cross/Blue Shield for several years. Cigna is offering the county a very similar health insurance plan to Blue Cross/Blue Shield. The motion to make the change in insurance companies was made by Brad Johnson, chairman of the county's Financial Management Committee. During a recess after the successful vote, Johnson told the Press that Cigna and Blue Cross/Blue Shield are the biggest insurers of state employees across the state, with Cigna stronger in the western part of the state.

As it has for every year since 2017, the county hired Timothy S. Helton to assist in dealing with the insurance companies. Helton had previously been the owner of Sequoyah Group to negotiate with the insurance companies. This year, Helton had sold his company and was serving as a principal with the OneDigital. During the negotiations, Helton told the commission that Blue Cross/Blue Shield had improved its offer to the county, with only a 5% increase. But the 1% increase that Cigna would charge was approved after the commissioners heard that the physician lists and drug lists in both insurance company plans were very similar.

Johnson said all of the county employees will be covered by Cigna as of July 1.

In other matters, the commissioners unanimously elected Carol Whaley to fill a vacant commission seat in the 7th Commission District, a largely western and more urban district. Whaley was unopposed in filling out the term, which expires in 2026.