EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KOAA) — The El Paso County Health Plan Trust Board will hold a special meeting next week to discuss its decision to begin charging longtime retirees for health insurance starting in 2026.
For years, county employees with more than 20 years of experience have had their healthcare fully subsidized by the county. That benefit will be going away next year, with retirees being charged half of the active employee rate for health insurance: $56.08 a month.
In 2027, the county will charge retirees under that service tier for the full amount, which for 2026 is $112.16.
News5 reported the change on Monday. A spokesperson for El Paso County told News5 Thursday evening a member of the board requested reconsideration of the decision to charge longtime retirees.
A meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 29th, at 8:00 am. The meeting will be held at the District Attorney’s Office, 105 E. Vermijo Avenue in the 4th Floor Main Conference Room.
The county said these meetings typically do not have public comment; members of the public are welcome to attend the meeting and submit written comments no later than noon on Monday, October 27 to employeebenefits@elpasoco.com.
The county told News5 that the change is expected to save the county $200,000 in 2026 and $400,000 in 2027. About 300 retirees are expected to be impacted by the change.
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