PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — Employees and retirees for Calvert County will see a shift in health care premium cost sharing in the 2026-2027 fiscal year.
Due to changing costs, staff recommended at the May 4 Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) meeting revising the member contribution for the BlueChoice HMO plan, shifting the cost share from 80% employer and 20% employee to 83% employer and 17% employee for the plan year July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027. Staff further recommended applying a cost share of 80% employer and 20% employee to the BlueChoice Advantage plan for the plan year July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027.
The BOCC approved this measure as part of the meeting’s consent agenda by unanimous vote.
According to a memo submitted by Malena Brookshire, chief financial officer, CareFirst and Bolton Partners prepare projected health care premiums annually. There are three entities that fund the county’s projected $24.39 million health care cost: the county, employees and retirees. The above adjustment increases the county’s contribution toward the HMO plan, resulting in a lower cost share for employees enrolled in that option. The BlueChoice Advantage plan reflects a cost share of 80% employer and 20% employee, aligning with the county’s overall funding approach while maintaining a higher employee cost share relative to the HMO plan. The estimated total claims for the plan year July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027, are $24,394,581.
In addition to the plan changes, the BOCC also approved the subsidy the county pays toward retiree health insurance premiums. The county recently received premium renewal rates from its health insurance provider indicating that overall, the county’s medical, pharmacy, dental and vision premiums will increase by about 15%. The subsidies will be the same despite the increase in premiums.
Historically, the plan is managed so that the county funds about 75% of the costs and the combined employee and retiree premiums fund the remaining 25% — and county policy states that the county will review the subsidies annually and the subsidies are subject to change based on budgetary constraints.
There are three categories of retirees who receive subsidies:
- Retirees who retired prior to Aug. 1, 1994 — 100% of the individual medical premium. There are currently 15 retirees in this category.
- Retirees with a retirement date from Aug. 1, 1994, through June 30, 2008 — 90% of the individual medical premium. There are currently 80 retirees in this category.
- Retirees who retired after June 30, 2008 — 75% of the individual medical premium. There are currently 260 retirees in this category.
Subsidies for retirees are also available to their spouses and dependents. Retirees can see the full rate sheet of subsidies for each category here.
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