Your 2027 Benefits

Dear South County Health Colleagues,

More than 15 years ago, South County Health set out to transform our employee benefits program with a simple belief: the exceptional care we provide to our community should also be the first choice for our employees and their families. Since then, we’ve worked to build a benefits program that puts SCH at the center of your health care experience. It’s a commitment reflected in a message you’ve heard from us for years: Your Care Starts Here.

Today, that commitment matters more than ever. Rising health care costs leave employers with difficult choices: absorb the increases, pass more of the expense along to employees, or find a better way forward. We’ve worked hard to maintain comprehensive, affordable benefits, and we’re determined to continue doing so.

To deliver on our vision, we need greater flexibility in how we design our medical plans and partners who will collaborate with us to make meaningful improvements. After more than 20 years with Blue Cross Blue Shield, it became clear that our existing partnership could no longer provide the flexibility and collaboration we needed. Rather than compromise our vision, we sought partners who shared it.

That decision led us to UMR/UnitedHealthcare, our new medical plan administrator, and Liviniti, our new prescription drug partner. These partnerships will help us offer more choices and better support the healthcare needs of our employees and their families.

Perhaps one of the most exciting developments is South County Health’s new membership in the prestigious Mayo Clinic Care Network. Our physicians now have access to Mayo Clinic’s world-renowned medical expertise and specialist consultations to collaborate on more complex healthcare situations. Combined with the breadth of services already available at SCH, this partnership gives you even more confidence in choosing South County Health first for exceptional care, close to home.

We’re also expanding your medical plan choices with the introduction of the new Premier Choice Plan, offering comprehensive benefits, lower costs and the freedom to see any provider without network restrictions. Our existing PPO and High-Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) will remain available, but both are transitioning to an Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO) structure, with coverage limited to in-network providers. While each plan offers a different approach to managing healthcare expenses, all three encourage you to choose South County Health first to help maximize your savings. For those enrolled in the EPO or HDHP, the UnitedHealthcare Choice Plus Network provides access to participating providers when care is needed outside SCH. The Premier Choice Plan will allow you to go to any provider as there is no provider network involved; however, you are incentivized to use SCH (Tier 1) providers. This new plan will use a reference amount instead of a provider network to determine payment for covered care.

While our medical plans are evolving, our commitment to your overall wellbeing remains unchanged. We continue to offer a comprehensive benefits package supporting your health, financial security, career, and family.

Open Enrollment is active for 2027. Everyone must make their benefit elections by November 30, even if you want to keep similar coverage. Please review your options carefully, including the new provider networks. As we transition to UMR/UnitedHealthcare as our new plan administrator, it’s important to understand how these changes may affect where you receive care. The new Premier Choice Plan has no network restrictions, giving you the flexibility to maintain relationships with your current providers.

These changes aren’t a departure from our mission. They’re the next step in fulfilling it — strengthening our benefits program, managing health care costs responsibly, and making exceptional care more accessible and affordable for the people who make South County Health what it is.

Sincerely,

Maggie Regan Thomas
Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer

What You Need to Know

Your 2027 Benefits Guides

Your benefits guide is your go-to resource for understanding your 2027 coverage. Review your guide for details about your benefit options, what’s changing, plan costs and the programs available to you and your family. Be sure to select the guide that applies to your employee group.