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Tuscola Commissioners Change Medical Coverage For a Savings
Mary Drier
Fri, 26 Sep 2025 10:27:28 EDT
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For over an hour, two companies explained medical insurance costs and coverage to Tuscola County Commissioners.
At the end of discussions, it was decided to to change companies in order to save money for the county and employees.
Brandon Weslock, who is vice president of operations, Brown and Brown, explained that In addition to Blue Cross/Blue Shield, bids were sought from Atena, Priority Health and HAP, which all three companies declined to bid.
Prior to adjusting the county's stop-loss level, the health insurance cost increase is 39 percent. By adjusting the hard-cap, the county could look at having the increase be 22 percent.
"Overall, the cost to the county for medical insurance is going to increase," he said.
A variety of options were discussed, but the bottomline is medical insurance coverage is going to cost more.
That presentation was followed up by Brian Bellware, who is the managing principal for Gibson's Benefits Strategy, did a presentation regarding what his company can do in assisting with providing more affordable health care options for the county.
Gibson is a risk management company that can broker insurance carrier options
An option is having employees access health care coverage in the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
The fee that the county would be assessed would be given to a foundation in order to assist with specific high costs in health care.
In order to assist with savings for 2026, the first step would be looking at the pharmaceutical arm of the program and implementing the foundation assistance program, explained Bellware, who noted the county will see savings over time.
He also said Sanilac County is a customer and they are saving on medical insurance costs.
The county has the option to go with Bellware's company and leave Brown and Brown.
Approval was given to work with Bellware starting on Oct. 1 for 24 months.
