Actuary recommends large funding increases; county discusses 3% policy versus full actuarial funding

John presented the 2027 actuary report and recommended rates, saying the actuarystimated employer-side funding needs that could total roughly $7,200,000 for 12 months and that implementing the full employee-side recommendation for 12 months would be roughly $3,000,000. "The actuary is recommending a $7,200,000 increase on the employee...Employer's side? For 12 months," John said during the presentation.

Board members discussed alternatives: continuing the recent practice of applying a modest 3% increase for employees (which would only add roughly $73,000 for six months), implementing a larger percentage nearer to actuary recommendations, or retroactively applying rates to July 1 to capture special-revenue timing. Members raised concerns about passing steep increases to employees given limited prospects for pay raises and the political and budgetary effects of large premium hikes. John agreed to model combinations of employer/employee rate changes and to show what would be required to eliminate the need for transfers.