School City of Mishawaka approves new medical and dental contracts with Anthem and MetLife
October 09, 2025 | School City of Mishawaka, School Boards, Indiana
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The School City of Mishawaka Board of School Trustees on Oct. 8 approved contracts to make Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield the district's medical insurance provider and MetLife the district's dental carrier, effective Jan. 1, 2026.
District staff said the change is intended to limit what otherwise would have been larger premium increases and to broaden provider networks, including access to Saint Joseph Health and Beacon Health Systems. The board approved the agreements after district benefits staff reviewed network and actuarial analyses and recommended the switch.
District staff said the change reduces a projected worst-case premium increase and that an actuarial review showed Anthem would have produced an estimated $1.2 million cost savings if it had been the medical vendor for last year's actual claims. Staff recommended a 9% increase to premiums as the most viable option compared with larger projected increases if the district remained with its prior vendors.
Corey (staff member), a district benefits presenter, said, "again, while obviously no increase is ideal, we are recommending the moving forward of the 9% increase." Jenny Sanders, School City of Mishawaka benefits and wellness coordinator, described the optional high-deductible health plan (HDHP) that will be offered alongside the PPO and said the HDHP will allow employees to establish health savings accounts (HSAs).
The district will continue to use TrueRx for pharmacy coverage and will continue the high-cost prescription program (referred to in the presentation as "sharks"). District staff said the VBID (value-based insurance design) Living Well program will no longer be available under the new medical vendor and the district will change flexible-spending administrators when coverage changes take effect.
Staff described a multi-channel employee communication plan: open enrollment will be active Nov. 3'15, meaning employees must complete enrollment or risk losing benefits; the district will hold a Q&A Google Meet and in-person sessions with enrollers at school buildings. Staff said they began employee communications in August and will continue frequent reminders.
The board voted to approve the insurance updates, including the Anthem and MetLife agreements.
District staff said the change is intended to limit what otherwise would have been larger premium increases and to broaden provider networks, including access to Saint Joseph Health and Beacon Health Systems. The board approved the agreements after district benefits staff reviewed network and actuarial analyses and recommended the switch.
District staff said the change reduces a projected worst-case premium increase and that an actuarial review showed Anthem would have produced an estimated $1.2 million cost savings if it had been the medical vendor for last year's actual claims. Staff recommended a 9% increase to premiums as the most viable option compared with larger projected increases if the district remained with its prior vendors.
Corey (staff member), a district benefits presenter, said, "again, while obviously no increase is ideal, we are recommending the moving forward of the 9% increase." Jenny Sanders, School City of Mishawaka benefits and wellness coordinator, described the optional high-deductible health plan (HDHP) that will be offered alongside the PPO and said the HDHP will allow employees to establish health savings accounts (HSAs).
The district will continue to use TrueRx for pharmacy coverage and will continue the high-cost prescription program (referred to in the presentation as "sharks"). District staff said the VBID (value-based insurance design) Living Well program will no longer be available under the new medical vendor and the district will change flexible-spending administrators when coverage changes take effect.
Staff described a multi-channel employee communication plan: open enrollment will be active Nov. 3'15, meaning employees must complete enrollment or risk losing benefits; the district will hold a Q&A Google Meet and in-person sessions with enrollers at school buildings. Staff said they began employee communications in August and will continue frequent reminders.
The board voted to approve the insurance updates, including the Anthem and MetLife agreements.
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