Oklahoma County Board of Equalization members on Nov. 10 received an update on county employee benefits showing rising medical costs and higher prescription volume.

Benefits staff (Speaker 5) told the board that, year to date, medical spending stood at "1,800,000.0" and that prescription volume increased from about 940 in January to roughly 1,531 in October. "Prescriptions are down 3%," Speaker 5 said, adding that overall gross costs were "up 15%" but that receipt of Rx rebates had reduced the net impact to around 2% when medical and prescription costs are combined. Staff attributed part of the increase to the timing of UMR beginning payments for plans in July and to a ramp-up in services.

Board members asked how county percentages compared with national figures; staff said it was still early in the fiscal year but that they were tracking trends and negotiating with vendors to reduce drug costs. Speaker 5 said the county is pursuing lower pricing with the pharmacy vendor and expects to have additional updates at the next meeting.

The chair (Speaker 6) asked that the benefits document be made part of the record. The board then moved to receive the report; the motion passed on a voice vote with the chair announcing the "ayes" carried.

The board did not adopt any new benefits policy or funding action at the meeting and directed staff to continue tracking utilization, rebates and vendor negotiations. The next regular BET meeting is scheduled in December, where staff said it would provide further updates.