Anne Arundel County Executive Steve Schuh, Councilman Chris Trumbauer, Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) Superintendent George Arlotto and School Board President Stacy Korbelak have announced that the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has approved a funding framework that provides solvency to the AACPS Health Insurance Fund.
The approved plan includes $15 million to keep the health benefits fund solvent through the upcoming fiscal year. The plan also includes $7.5 million in one-time funding to AACPS to help mitigate the impact of any negotiated increases in premiums for the county’s nearly 6,000 teachers and other school system employees. This funding is in addition to the $5 million that will be provided to the school system in the current fiscal year to help with the health care fund shortage.
The exact nature of the premium increase offset will be determined through discussions between AACPS and its bargaining units, as the school system effects changes in health plans that more closely align employee benefits with those of Anne Arundel County government and other school jurisdictions across the state.
Schuh formally included the funding agreement in his fiscal 2018 budget. The proposal is subject to county council approval.