WARREN — Trumbull County commissioners are expected to vote today on health plans for county employees in which some will have increases that will range from 10.65% on family plans to 10.7% on individual plans.

County employees with United Health Care / Guardian will see their premium share be 12% of proposed Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) and Exclusive Provider Organization) EPO plan rates. The county will pay 88% of the plan’s costs.

Sheriff’s office employees will see their premium shares be 11% under proposed PPO and EPO plans, with the sheriff’s office paying 89% of the cost.

The amount of the increase will depend on the type of plans employees choose to purchase — flat, single or family rates.

The 2025 rate, which was approved in the fall of 2024, increased by an average of 14% over what was paid in 2024.

Commissioners also will vote on the amount that employees will have to pay for COBRA insurance if they lose their jobs. The former employees will pay the entire COBRA amounts. COBRA insurance is available for 18 months.

There are an estimated 19 former county employees on its COBRA plan. Premiums for other insurance available for county employees are partially paid for by the county.

Human Resources Director Alexandra DeVengencie-Bush during Wednesday’s commissioners workshop urged commissioners to approve the health care plans today to give employees up to two weeks during an open enrollment period.

DeVengencie-Bush noted the average health insurance premium increase nationwide was 6%.

“That does not take into account what your claim needs are,” DeVengencie-Bush said. “Every claim above a certain amount is driving up our premiums. The average medical claim number for 2024 was $652 per month and the average prescription was $324 per month. Times that amount by the number of people under these plans and it is astronomically higher.”

The HR director said the county has 17 members that are driving 18.6% of the policy’s claims up because of the cost of their treatments.

“I cannot control the illnesses that people have,” she said.

She noted that 720 have muscular skeletal diagnosis, which is 10.9% of the county’s medical signings, and 233 have some type of diabetes, which is correlated to 25%.

“That is driving our significant increase,” DeVengencie-Bush said.

The plans will cover from Jan. 1 through Jan. 1. 2027.

Commissioner Tony Bernard and Commission President Rick Hernandez attended the weekly workshop. Commissioner Denny Malloy did not attend the meeting, and he is not expected to attend today’s commissioners meeting because he is on vacation.

Bernard on Wednesday said he did not want to vote on the insurance packages until all three commissioners have a chance to review and discuss them before a vote.

However, DeVengencie-Bush said she would prefer the commissioners approve the plans today so employees will have two weeks for an open enrollment period. Delaying the vote for a week will reduce the amount of time employees have to choose what type of plan they may want to consider.

“Open enrollment is a big deal for people,” she said.

Nicholas Coggins of the Trumbull County Planning Commission, noted that passing the proposed plans immediately will provide employees time to compare not only the county plans, but plans spouses may have through their jobs.

County employees may decide their spouses’ insurance policies are more beneficial for their individual family needs or having one spouse use the family plan from one job and the individual plan from the other job.

“You have to set the rates, so people can go home and make decisions,” Coggins said.

DeVengencie-Bush noted she will do whatever the commissioners decide.

“I do not believe it would not behoove us to delay it because of the employees,” Hernandez said.

Bernard noted he simply wants to have all three commissioners available to vote on the plans. Coggins said the county has more than 1,000 employees who will be looking at these policies.

“Some will have to look at different policies,” he said. “The less time they have to make decisions makes it harder. There is also the holiday to consider.”