Employee Benefits Review Committee - November 5th 2026

The Employee Benefits Review Committee met on November 5, 2026 (the recording metadata is dated November 6) to review the city’s employee health insurance renewal. Representatives compared Blue Cross and Blue Shield with Sigma, including medical, dental, vision, and Zurich accident-gap coverage. Blue Cross reduced its annual price by $36,000; the presenter said Sigma subsequently offered a further 3% savings. The proposed accident benefit adds up to $2,500 in cash protection per accident for each covered family member and costs about $1,600 per month, with part of the carrier savings used to fund it. The presentation also covered employee payroll deductions, claim handling, provider networks, and the proposed rebalanced flat employee rates.

The committee unanimously voted to recommend that the mayor and city council select Sigma Plus, with employees choosing between the $1,000 and $2,500 deductible options and the rebalanced rate structure, including fixed employee contribution amounts. This was a recommendation, not a final council award; a council vote was expected the following week. The presenter also requested an opportunity to administer supplemental benefits, but the committee did not decide on that request and indicated it wanted to review the city’s existing products before considering options. No contract number was provided.