This an option, Curran said, to reduce the cost of providing health care benefits to employees. Since 2021, the total expenditure for health insurance in RRISD increased by 15%.
What you need to know
While not an official proposal—Curran said the district would have to go out for an official request for proposal from vendors for a true cost estimate—the HR Chief floated the idea to the district's board of trustees in a Feb. 20 board meeting.
Curran presented a plan for a potential on-site district health clinic that would provide many of the same health services employees receive from their primary care doctors and urgent care, without the added expense or difficulty of getting appointments and having to travel far from work or home.
RRISD currently offers a $0 premium high deductible health care plan for employees, with additional costs to add family members, through Blue Cross Blue Shield.
By the numbers
The district contributes about $5,592 per year per employee who chooses to take the district's insurance, Curran said. In the 2024-25 budget year, the district planned $30 million in expenditures.
It is also projected to turn a $477,187 shortfall as part of the district's greater budget. This shortfall is projected to grow to nearly $12 million by 2029, Curran's presentation shows.
What they're saying
Curran said operating an in-house clinic could contain costs by making proactive, preventative care more accessible and affordable.
"More than a third of Americans don't have a primary care provider," Curran said. "They go to the doctor when they need to but they don't actually have somebody that they see consistently who knows their health history and is able to treat them on a proactive basis."
He said the district could have three options to do so:
- Retrofitting an existing facility to host on-site providers
- Contract with a clinic provider in a leased space
- Contract with a third party to build, own and operate an on-site clinic for higher fees
In addition to making health care more accessible to RRISD employees and reducing health care costs for the district, Curran said offering on-site care could become a valuable recruiting tool as part of the overall benefits package offered to potential hires. Care provided could potentially come at low or no cost, he said.
From start to finish, the process to create and open the clinic could take about two years, Curran said.
What's next?
The proposal could return to the board in a more official capacity, should trustees seek a request for proposal for what the true cost of opening such a facility would be.
