COLUMBUS — Columbus City Schools teachers and staff will pay 8% more for health insurance in 2027 under an agreement the state's largest school district has reached with its employee unions.
The deal follows the discovery of a $40 million funding shortfall in July in the fund that pays employee medical claims directly through a combination of district and employee contributions. After the shortfall surfaced, the school system ended its relationship with the private consulting company that had been managing the fund.
Both the public and private sectors are grappling with rising insurance costs, in part because of reduced federal subsidies to the Affordable Care Act, according to the nonprofit Commonwealth Fund. The group says the median proposed premium increase for 2026 is 18% nationally — more than double what insurers proposed for 2025 and triple the change for 2024.
Columbus schools Superintendent Angela Chapman praised the agreement with labor leaders, saying it ensures quality health benefits for employees in 2027 and that "we are all paying a fair share for these important benefits."
John Coneglio, president of the Columbus Education Association, was less enthusiastic about the deal. The district has not said how the increase will be divided between the district's share and employee contributions, or how it will affect take-home pay for teachers and staff.
— NewsForce Staff