Commissioners hear insurance update, reaffirm drainage board decision

The Owen County Board of Commissioners met twice during the month of May.

During the first meeting of the month, board president Sam Hobbs shared that financial advisor Jeff Peters would attend the upcoming council meeting to share information on the financial aspects of the jail project.

They also, in acting as the county drainage board, held a public hearing for a drainage report in relation to a minor subdivision property. There were no public comments, and the request was approved unanimously 2-0, as commissioner Dave Risk was not present at that meeting due to illness. The commissioners also approved a rezone of the parcel following a favorable recommendation by the county plan commission.

They also heard a proposal for participation in a Mobile Integrated Health program grant application through Indiana Rural Health.

During the second meeting of the month, the commissioners reaffirmed their acceptance of the drainage board report. Commissioner Norm Warner made the motion in support of reaffirming both the drainage board approval and the request to rezone the property. The motion was seconded by Hobbs and passed unanimously, 3-0. All three commissioners were present at the May 21 meeting.

The commissioners also heard an update from Ron Remak, President and Owner of Bill C. Brown Associates.

In addition to going through the ancillary benefits offered by the county, that is, benefits that are not health insurance, Remak provided an insurance update on the group health insurance rates.

Remak reminded everyone of the history of the county’s group health insurance rates. The county had health insurance plans through IU Health Plans for roughly five years with little to no rate increase during that time.

The county had signed a two-year rate guarantee contract with IU Health Plans. During that first year, Anthem purchased IU Health Plans. They did not honor that rate for the second year, leading to Remak filing a complaint with the Indiana Department of Insurance last fall.

Anthem did eventually offer to hold the rate, but they put in a clause that the county would be responsible for a penalty of 10 percent in the first quarter of 2027 if the county’s claims to premium ratio was not at or below their company average.

Remak went to the marketplace and found an offer from United Healthcare (UHC) to match the rate for the second year, with a maximum increase of 19 percent for 2027, regardless of what that ratio looks like in 2026.

Based on January and February of 2026, the claim to premium ratio is elevated with $397,000 in claims compared to $181,566 in premium rates for the first two months of the year.

The commissioners will meet again at 6 p.m. June 4 in the Commissioners’ Room of the Owen County Courthouse, 60 S. Main St., Spencer.