Iberia Parish School Board Insurance Committee Meeting 10/28/2026

The Iberia Parish School Board Insurance Committee met on October 28, 2026, to consider renewal options for the district’s 2027 commercial, partially self-funded group health plan. Staff presented four options using Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana or UnitedHealthcare, with differing stop-loss arrangements. Option 1 would renew with Blue Cross and retain the current stop-loss carrier; its estimated annual fixed cost was about $1.9 million, including a $686,000 stop-loss premium, approximately $766,000 in administrative fees, $149,703 for specialty drug management, and a projected $456,000 in pharmacy-benefit-related fees. The committee discussed cost containment, provider and employee disruption, and how promptly the carrier would notify the district about high-cost claims. Blue Cross described a step-therapy process and said the district could lower its notification threshold, with $25,000 discussed, but members questioned whether notice would arrive before prior authorization or only before payment.

A motion to select Option 1 passed. The committee also requested that the step-therapy and notification arrangements, including the proposed threshold and related explanations, be provided in writing before the next board meeting. No other procurement decisions were identified.