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Employees get $0 out-of-pocket options while taxpayers save at least $678K in 2025

 

The Mower County Board of Commissioners has approved a new employee health plan for 2025  that maintains current in-network coverage, reduces employee premium contributions and saves  taxpayers 8.6% or more as compared with the renewal offered by its current health insurance  carrier.

According to a press release Tuesday, the Mower County Health Plan is administered by Self Fund Health. 

Key benefits of the Mower County Health Plan for employees and their families include:

• Broader in-network coverage that includes local providers and health systems where  employees currently receive care, as well as a national PPO network. For those who use  in-network providers, out-of-pocket costs for care will be lower next year than they are in  the current health plan.

• Access to $0 out-of-pocket care at HELPcare Clinic, a direct primary care (DPC) clinic in  Austin and Rochester. This includes office visits, lab tests, minor procedures, injections,  health coaching and more.

• Opportunities to get $0 out-of-pocket specialist and surgical services through referrals  from HELPcare Clinic or the Self Fund Health Nurse Navigator to high-quality  providers. The Nurse Navigator will also help plan members obtain specialty medications  through sources that can eliminate copays.

• A pay raise for most employees because less will be withheld from their checks for  monthly premium contributions.

The Mower County Health Plan also will save taxpayers a minimum of $678,000 as compared  with renewing the previous plan. Expected savings are $882,000 or 12.3% off the renewal.

“The Mower County Health Plan includes everything in our current plan, but with new options  for better primary care at no cost,” says Kristina Kohn, Mower County Human Resources  Director. “Our benefits committee comprised of employees unanimously recommended this plan,  and county commissioners are particularly enthusiastic about adding HELPcare Clinic  membership. As employees take advantage of the new $0 out-of-pocket options, they’ll be taking  control of long-term health plan costs.”

Three organizations helped Mower County leaders create the Mower County Health Plan:

• HELPcare Clinic (HELPcare.health/clinic) is a direct primary care (DPC) clinic that opened in  Austin in February 2022 and has grown to 990 active members between its offices in Austin and  Rochester. Services are included at no extra charge in its monthly or annual membership dues.  HELPcare Clinic services will be paid by Self Fund Health, and all care will be free to Mower  County Health Plan members. 

• Self Fund Health (selffundhealth.com) is a Wisconsin-based company that develops and  administers competitive self-funded health insurance plans for employers in the Midwest as an  alternative to traditional fully funded of self-funded plans.

• North Risk Partners (northriskpartners.com) is a full-service independent insurance agency  specializing in strategic insurance solutions for businesses and individuals. Mower County  engaged North Risk Partners as its advisor to develop the Mower County Health Plan in  collaboration with Self Fund Health and HELPcare Clinic.