Metro Council approves 15% and 25% premium increases for City-Parish employee health plans

BATON ROUGE - The Metropolitan Council voted Oct. 21 to raise City-Parish employee health premiums in 2027 by 15% on the HMO and POS plans and 25% on the high-deductible plan, according to the recording of the council's special meeting.

The administration of Mayor-President Sid Edwards had proposed increases of 20%, 20% and 30%. The council first rejected a motion for the lower figures and then the original proposal. Councilman Hudson then moved the lower figures again, saying "the expense of doing nothing is much worse." The clerk announced that the motion carried; the vote count was not read aloud, and minutes have not been posted.

The motion as read covered only premiums. Whether the proposed increases in deductibles remain part of the plan is not clear from the recording.

A finance official told the council the insurance reserve fund holds about $13 million and could be overspent by $6 million to $8 million this year. Confirming that the lower increases would leave about $700,000 to cover, the official said departments would be asked in January to cut their budgets by a proportionate share.

Source: Metropolitan Council special meeting recording, Oct. 21, 2026, item 26-01370; transcript via Citizen Portal