Commission President Michael Repay, D-Hammond, said costs have been trending higher for several years now.Some of the reasons for the spike in annual costs for the county could be due to delayed care because of the pandemic.Screenings and even care appointments were difficult to schedule during the pandemic and that may have led to an escalation of conditions thus requiring more advanced, and costly, treatment.
Beginning in 2013 the county increased its per-employee contribution to the pool to about $17,810 a year, up from about $15,210, a move at the time that brought another $3.5 million per year to the pool. That figure has continually risen. The 2024 annual per-employee contribution is budgeted for $27,800.
The changes helped to stabilize the program. Repay said the funding did well for a number of years and then has been up and down since about 2017.Scott Schmal, the council’s financial administrator, warned the council during budget a Tuesday budget session that while there are funds to cover the insurance plan in 2024, the path the plan currently is on is “unsustainable.”