No changes in county healthcare

Adams County employees will not see any changes in their healthcare plans from 2023, according to county officials.

Adams County commissioners recently approved the Administrative Services Only (ASO) group contract, including benefits for preferred provider organization (PPO), Rx, and vision.

The ASO group contract included "an agreement for Capital BlueCross to administer health benefits on behalf of the county," according to the commissioners' meeting agenda.

"Employee health insurance is very important to most staff members and is a critical element in hiring and retention of staff," Adams County Commissioner Chair Randy Phiel said.

The term for the PPO plan and Rx, which entails prescription drug benefits and coverage for both union and non-union employees," runs for three years beginning Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2026, according to the agenda.

The group preferred provider benefits include "general benefits, coverage, and administrative procedures under the PPO plans for union and non-union employees," the agenda reads.

County officials said the vision benefits are for a two-year term beginning Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2025.

"All plan benefits remain unchanged from 2023," the meeting agenda reads.

Adams County Administrator Steve Nevada said the county did not see an increase in employee health insurance because "we didn't have a lot of risk exposure."

"The cost has been down for a couple years now," Nevada said.

The county heard from its financial advisors they are "an outlier" when it comes to other entities facing rising health insurance costs, he said.

"We are pleased to be in that position," Nevada said. "The commissioners managed the plan well."

Most entities have seen health insurance costs go up, Phiel said.

"We have a large group. Within that group, we certainly have some levers we can utilize that maybe a smaller entity could not," Phiel said. "In the end, it comes down to good management."

Phiel also touted the human resources department's wellness program, which is "managed very well."

The county has "a true understanding of what our costs are, where we need to manage realistically, and what our costs are going to be as far as claims," according to Phiel.

The county did run into increasing costs with health insurance within the "first few years" the commissioners took office back in 2012, said Phiel.

"In our third or fourth year, we decided to concentrate and get some good consulting with advisors," Phiel said.

The county moved to a self-insured model, which "gives us more flexibility," he said.

Due to its importance, the county holds quarterly meetings with the healthcare team, according to Commissioner Marty Qually.

Of the health insurance cost, "2025 will be different," Qually said.

The cost in the industry will be spread to customers as a result of inflation, he said.