The Westford Select Board voted on Aug. 14, to endorse a proposal aimed at limiting the town’s health insurance cost increase to 2.5%, while leaving decisions about specific plan changes to the town’s Health Insurance Trust.
The discussion came as town officials consider ways to address rising health care costs and the impact of those costs on the municipal budget.
Board Chair Chris Barrett opened the discussion by reiterating points made at the board’s prior meeting. Responsibility for health insurance plan design changes rests with the Health Insurance Trust, not the Select Board, he said. The board’s involvement is limited to offering guidance to the Trust through its board liaison Sean Kelly.
“That is the limit of our involvement with actual plan design changes for the health insurance of the Town of Westford,” the chair stated.
Board endorses proposal to limit increase
The board had previously received a presentation from Kelly outlining a proposal he helped to bring to the Trust. It was made to call on the Health Insurance Trust to consider limited changes to the existing insurance plan that could reduce the town’s projected health insurance cost increase from 5% to 2.5% or less. The Select Board voted to endorse that proposal.
The board also asked the Trust to consider the 2.5% budget target when evaluating future health insurance plan changes. Kelly clarified that the proposal would not include changes to Medicare supplement plans at this time. The motion passed. Kelly as liaison is expected to present the Select Board’s position at the Health Insurance Trust meeting.
Public comments from residents and staff
Several residents spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting. Blair Bettencourt, a 36-year teacher, described the longstanding importance of town health insurance to his family since he was hired in 1970. Now 78, Bettencourt noted that rising health care and prescription costs are particularly difficult for retirees living on fixed incomes – especially for his wife’s post-cancer medications that can strain the ability to cover necessities.
Building commissioner Erik Tardif shared his previous experience working for the Town of Lenox, where he said that after the community moved to a high-deductible health insurance plan, it experienced significant employee turnover, with 20-25 percent of its workforce leaving during the first year, including a newly hired HR director.
Jody Ross, a former town employee and Westford resident, questioned whether the 2.5% target should apply more broadly than health insurance.
A board member responded that health insurance is one of several areas under review to address budget gaps and is currently a prominent topic, but not the only one.
Resident Diane Wood asked whether the proposed changes would affect retirees who are enrolled in Medicare.
Officials explained that Westford’s responsibility for retirees on Medicare involves the supplemental insurance that covers expenses beyond what Medicare pays. The discussion also clarified that not all retired town employees are Medicare-eligible. Retirees under age 65 can still participate in the town’s health plan without being enrolled in Medicare.
Next step is Health Insurance Trust
With the Select Board’s motion approved, the issue moves to the Health Insurance Trust.
Board liaison Kelly is expected to present the board’s recommendation to the Trust for consideration. The Trust will ultimately determine whether any health insurance plan design changes are made.
For the Select Board, the challenge is balancing those concerns with the town’s broader fiscal pressures and the rising cost of providing health care benefits.
The Select Board concluded the agenda item after hearing from residents and discussing the role of the board and the Health Insurance Trust.
