Sponsored content contributed by AOC Business Partner: CIS
Oregon’s counties are facing difficult budget decisions. Health care costs continue to rise faster than revenues, putting additional pressure on already-tight county budgets. At CIS, we understand that pressure. Every premium dollar comes from a local government budget, and every dollar must deliver value.
That’s why affordability remains a top priority for CIS. We’ve reduced administrative expenses and made some difficult decisions to help keep rate increases as low as possible while protecting the program’s long-term sustainability. But the numbers tell an important story: CIS directly controls only about 7% of premium costs. The remaining 93% goes toward health care itself, including hospital services, physician care and prescription drugs.
We’ve worked hard to reduce the 7%. Now we need to focus on the 93%.
That means looking at how care is delivered, managed and paid for. CIS has strengthened pharmacy and utilization management, continued programs such as Lantern that help eligible members access high-quality surgical care, and offered plan options such as Surest that give members more information about costs before receiving care. We continue to evaluate other approaches that can improve affordability while preserving access and choice.
It also means addressing challenges no single employer can solve alone. CIS is working with AOC and the League of Oregon Cities (LOC) to address broader health care costs, particularly hospital costs that continue to rise faster than inflation. Together, we’re working to help policymakers understand how these increases affect local government budgets and the services our communities depend on. Our goal is to find practical, long-term solutions that make health care more affordable for Oregon’s counties and cities. Every additional dollar absorbed by health care costs is a dollar local governments cannot invest in public safety, infrastructure and the other services their communities rely on.
As a member-owned risk pool, CIS is not driven by profits or shareholders. Our focus is on providing dependable coverage, managing costs and delivering value to our members. Pooling our resources and expertise gives us greater buying power and a stronger collective voice. There is no single solution to rising health care costs, but we can keep looking for practical ways to make coverage more sustainable for members.
Learn More at the CIS 25th Annual Conference
The affordability conversation will continue at the 25th CIS Annual Conference, Feb. 24-26, 2027, at the Salem Convention Center. The conference will feature benefits sessions focused on what is changing and what employers can do to help manage costs.
What’s New in Benefits
CIS Benefits Director Mike Beyrouty will review key changes for 2027 and provide a look at issues the Benefits team and Board are evaluating for 2028 and beyond. Attendees will also hear updates on compliance, coverage, plan administration and other initiatives affecting CIS Benefits members.
Claims, Costs and Choices: What Employers Can Do to Make a Difference
Representatives from CIS medical carriers will discuss practical strategies employers can use to encourage employees to make better use of available plan resources, preventive care and cost-transparency tools. The session will focus on actions that can improve engagement with benefits and help manage claims costs over time.
Registration goes live the first week of December. Visit cisoregon.org/conference for the latest agenda, speaker information and registration.
Health care costs remain one of the most significant financial challenges facing Oregon’s counties. We cannot control every part of the market. But we can be clear about what’s driving costs, manage what we can control and work together to address the challenges we can’t solve alone.
That’s the value of working together as a member-owned risk pool: helping Oregon’s local governments become safer, stronger and healthier.