MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. — Mecklenburg County retirees are impacted by insurance changes yet again.
In 2023, the county found a system error that gave retired employees with dependents higher contributions than what their policy states. Leaders planned to take it away, but retirees fought back last fall and won.
However, the county hired an independent attorney to look into the matter and analyze the insurance policy. The findings were presented in September and show the county made a mistake in contribution calculations starting in 2017 when it transferred systems.
After proving the county contributions do not align with the county's insurance policy for retiree dependents, county leaders voted 6-3 to take the extra contributions away. The change impacts 171 retirees who retired in 2017 or later and have dependents on their insurance plans.
"I honestly don't know what we're gonna do," Stephanie Trull told WCNC Charlotte.
Trull is a dependent on her husband's insurance plan. He retired as a captain from the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office after 30 years of service.
"We're on a fixed income," Trull explained. She worries they can't afford the new cost of insurance since the county will no longer contribute to dependent premiums.
The county's insurance policy only contributes to retiree premiums if they worked for the county for 10 or more years. It says dependents can be on retirees' plans, but they are fully responsible for their premiums.
"At some point, we gotta get the train back on the track," George Dunlap, chair of the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners, said in a September meeting.
Some families could see their insurance bills go up as much as $400 a month.
To help soften the blow, the county will phase out the dependent coverage annually through 2029.
The Trulls were in a motorcycle crash 10 years ago and Stephanie is still getting surgeries from it.
"That's why our insurance is gold to us," Trull explained while holding back tears. "And I do think we're probably one of the ones that are in the worst situation with it."
She’s now scrambling to try to find a better option before open enrollment.
Open enrollment for Mecklenburg County is Nov. 4-15 and the new rates will take effect in January.