Every election season, school districts across Ohio ask voters to approve new levies to cover operating costs. Each year, parents and community members are asked to contribute to fundraisers for things that once were fully funded by tax dollars. Meanwhile, one of the biggest line items in many budgets, healthcare, continues to drain resources.
At C&A Benefits Group, we’ve seen firsthand how decades of healthcare cost inflation have impacted education budgets and left employees struggling with declining health coverage.
Recently, a CFO from a smaller Ohio school district came to us with a challenge: Find $1 million in healthcare savings—or the district would be forced to renegotiate employee contributions.
After analyzing their plan, we uncovered nearly $824,000 in overspend in just their top 17 medications. By eliminating insurer markups, we conservatively estimate $1.5 million in potential savings—all without reducing benefits or access to needed care. Teachers and staff keep the coverage and prescriptions they rely on, while payroll deductions don’t erase hard-earned wage increases.
This isn’t unique to schools. Employers across Ohio and beyond are facing the same reality: the money to improve benefits and protect budgets is already there, if you know where to look.
That’s why we encourage every employer to ask:
Have you evaluated your healthcare options, or are you just following the status quo?
C&A Benefits Group helps employers uncover waste, redesign their approach, and explore innovative strategies like Community Health Plans—a model we’ve written about in our previous blog that’s already saving Ohio employers millions.
Reach out today if you’d like our experts to evaluate the efficacy of your current healthcare strategy and explore better options for your organization, your employees, and your community: Email Jason King.
