School leaders say the rising cost of health benefits for county school employees is the biggest pressure point leading officials to determine hard cuts to Hamilton County schools this week.
Superintendent Justin Robertson has told school board members, expected to vote on their budget Thursday, that the $18.5 million deficit facing the system includes a $12.5 million increase in health care costs.
If that’s the case, then the school system — one of the county’s largest employers with around 6,000 workers — will be paying thousands more per employee next year, if the costs are distributed evenly.
At the same time, the school system has been under contract with the Chattanooga-based health care start-up One to One Health since 2021, to lower overall costs.
The company markets itself as a health care savings tool. The One to One Health website, which includes promotional quotes from Hamilton County and local school officials, says companies can see a net annual savings of $2,000 per engaged employee.