FAIRMONT — Health insurance costs were a major topic Friday as the Martin County Board of Commissioners held a workshop on the 2027 budget. The county is facing significant increases in health insurance premiums. Current estimates call for a 19-percent increase on the county’s low-deductible plans and a 31-percent increase on the H-S-A plan. The county is currently budgeting for an 18-percent share of the increase. Officials said covering 100 percent of the increase would add nearly 295-thousand dollars to the county budget, and they believe employees will need to share some of the additional cost. The county is waiting on bids from other insurance providers, which are due September 24th. Commissioners also discussed the overall 2027 levy. The current potential increase is 5-point-98 percent, but Auditor-Treasurer Mike Forstner said about 145-thousand dollars would need to be cut from the budget to reach that level. The board must approve the preliminary budget and levy by September 30th. Once approved, the preliminary levy can only be lowered, not increased.
