2027 Health Insurance Plan Costs and Upcoming Changes

The GUC Board of Commissioners and Greenville City Council met on September 21st to consider Benefit Plan Year 2027 recommendations made by the Joint Pay and Benefits Committee. The shared priority remains a commitment to supporting the health and well-being of employees while proactively managing the rising cost of healthcare. 

The good news is that our Board of Commissioners and the City Council voted to keep Cigna as our insurance provider and to continue paying roughly 85% of the cost of health and dental care for employees.  The challenge is that plan costs have escalated which requires additional contributions from both the employer and employees. To that end, employee health plan contributions will increase 15% and dental plan contributions will increase 2.3% effective January 1, 2027.  Even with these changes, GUC’s per employee plan cost remains lower than the average of comparable entities (see benchmark graphic). 

The increased contributions are needed because healthcare costs continue to rise.  So far in 2026, GUC employee healthcare costs are 30% higher than last year.  For 2027, costs were projected to increase 28.4%, but through a combination of savings achieved by going back to the market for our health care vendor, moderate plan design changes, and by projecting that the number of high-cost claims will trend back towards historic norms, the projected plan cost increase was reduced to 18%.  Employees are paying a portion of this with the 15% healthcare contribution increase, while GUC pays the rest. 

For the health plan, the increased dollar amount per bi-weekly pay period ranges from $1.16 for the lowest tier "employee only" option in the HSA plan to $55.55 for the "employee plus family" option in the highest tier of the Enhanced plan.   

How Employees Can Help Manage Costs 

• Utilize the GUC Clinic, which has proven to deliver high-quality, cost-effective care. 
• Consider the Health Savings Account (HSA) option, which has lower premiums and includes a contribution from GUC to help cover the deductible. 
• Participate in GUC wellness events to support healthy habits. 
• Engage in the GUC Wellness Credit program where you can earn money while improving your health. 
• Access support through the Clinic’s licensed clinical counselor for mental health support. 

 What GUC Leadership Is Doing  

• Completed a comprehensive request for proposal (RFP) process over the summer to identify the most qualified and best-value insurance carrier to administer our healthcare program.  
• Continue exploring ways to expand services at the GUC Clinic. 
• Actively meeting with local healthcare providers to enhance care options while reducing costs, including reduced costs for medications. 
• Researching best practices from other organizations to identify strategies that strengthen our plan and control expenses. 

“While rising healthcare costs continue to present challenges, GUC is committed to maintaining a plan that supports your wellbeing and provides meaningful protection for you and your families,” said CEO/General Manager Tony Cannon. “By working together, we can help manage costs and maintain quality coverage.” 

Detailed information, including updated deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums, and plan changes, will be shared before Open Enrollment, which begins October 19th. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact your Department Director or Human Resources.