June 26, 2025 Newswires

Jamestown City Council approves changing health insurance carrier

Masaki Ova, The Jamestown Sun, N.D.The Jamestown Sun

Jun. 26—JAMESTOWN — The Jamestown City Council unanimously approved changing the city of Jamestown's health insurance carrier on Tuesday, June 24, to the Sanford Health Plan.

During the special meeting, the City Council also established monthly premium rates and health savings account contributions for the city of Jamestown's employee group health insurance plan for the fiscal year from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31, 2026.

The city of Jamestown's previous health insurance carrier was Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Natasha Harr, benefit broker for the city of Jamestown, said renewing with Blue Cross Blue Shield would have an estimated additional cost of $166,000 annually, or 11%.

Switching to the Sanford Health Plan will have an estimated additional cost of only about $700 annually, or 0.05%. Harr said the Sanford Health Plan includes a 10.9% second-year rate cap guarantee.

"If you move to Sanford versus the 11% with Blue Cross Blue Shield, you would also be guaranteed that your next year renewal would not go above the 10.9% threshold," she said.

Under the Sanford Health Plan, city employees can choose between the Sanford 90-500 traditional plan that includes a $500 deductible and no health savings account or the Sanford 100-5,000 high-deductible health plan with a $5,000 deductible and a health savings account.

Under the Sanford 90-500 traditional plan, the city share will be about $900 per month for a single plan, around $1,224 per month for a single plus dependent plan and about $1,477 per month for a family plan. Employees with the single plan do not pay toward their health insurance. Employees will contribute about $397 for a single plus dependent plan and around $865 for the family plan.

Under the 100-5,000 high-deductible health plan, the city share will be about $767 per month for a single plan, around $1,224 per month for a single plus dependent plan and about $1,477 per month for a family plan. Each plan includes a city contribution of $1,020 annually in $85 monthly increments to the health savings account. Employees with the single plan do not pay toward their health insurance. Employees will contribute about $156 for a single plus dependent plan and around $517 for the family plan.