Volusia schools employees could get new health insurance provider

• Volusia County Schools’ insurance committee recommends switching from Florida Health Care Plan, Inc. to Curative Insurance Co.
• The proposed three-year agreement with Curative would not exceed $153 million.
• Curative offered lower premiums for dependents and a national network.

The Volusia County Schools insurance committee is recommending the School Board change health insurance carriers.

After years of coverage with Daytona Beach-based provider Florida Health Care Plan, Inc., the district invited other companies to negotiate. A firm created in 2022, Curative Insurance Co., made an offer and won the unanimous support of the committee.

School Board members will hear a report from the committee May 13 at a 12:30 p.m. workshop, followed by an expected vote on the change scheduled at the 4:30 p.m. board meeting.

The school district provides insurance to roughly 6,300 employees, while a district memo notes that it could see an increase in the number of participants in the 2025-26 school year.

The board will consider approving a three-year agreement with Curative not to exceed $153 million − an average of $51 million per year.

The deal provides a district contribution of $605 per month (or $7,260 per year) for each employee. Thus, $51 million per year would cover just over 7,000 employees.

Curative Insurance, of Austin, Texas, is a spinoff of a healthcare company that was founded in 2020 and became the world’s largest COVID-19 testing company, according to its proposal to the district. It began offering health plans to employers in Texas in 2022 and now also has plans in Florida and Georgia.

The insurance committee included Stephanie Workman, executive director of human resources, Carolyn Snyder, coordinator of payroll and benefits, Elizabeth Albert, president of Volusia United Educators, as well as staff members from a variety of positions throughout the district.

A presentation to be given to school board members shows that Florida Health Care experienced a 106.7% loss ratio, meaning it was paying out more in claims − $63 million − than it was collecting in premiums, nearly $59.1 million.

The committee’s report highlighted several factors in its unanimous decision to recommend Curative:

• Its base plan included lower premiums for dependents than Florida Health Care’s final offer.
• It offers “concierge service through care navigators,” which will provide encouragement to members with chronic conditions to stay compliant with care and medications, while also assisting members to find providers.
• The company’s national network is “attractive to employees with children in college and retirees that move out of the area.”