County weighs $150,000 stop-loss deductible that cuts premium $40,375

Teton County commissioners are set to vote Sept. 8 on renewing Symetra stop-loss insurance for the county’s self-funded health plan at a $150,000 per-person deductible for 2027, a change Human Resources says would lower the annual premium enough to cut the benefits budget by $40,375. The staff report compares the proposed option to the current $125,000 deductible and says the higher deductible carries “a possibility of an increase in cost for claims above $125,000 of approximately $25,000 per claim” if a large claim lands in that band. BCC Symetra Stop Loss Contract Agenda Packet

HR’s analysis shows two main renewal choices from Symetra, keep the $125,000 deductible with a 12.60% premium increase, or raise it to $150,000 with a 3.3% premium decrease. Commissioners should ask how many claims historically fall between $125,000 and $150,000, how the county budgets for those mid-six-figure claim swings, and whether the proposed savings are expected to hold beyond this “Early Bird” renewal pricing window. BCC Symetra Stop Loss Contract Agenda Packet