A True Privilege

by Trish Guinan, NSEA Executive Director

This October, I attended my last in-person Educators Health Alliance (EHA) board meeting. Whether educators realize it or not, the EHA board plays a huge role behind the scenes. We’re the stewards of your health plan.

The EHA is a nonprofit partnership representing the Nebraska Association of School Boards (NASB), the Nebraska Council of School Administrators (NCSA), and the Nebraska State Education Association (NSEA). Together, we’ve built a long history of providing exceptional health coverage for educators and their families—coverage that’s truly by educators, for educators.

This spring and summer, the board undertook a major project. In March, we released a formal Request for Proposals (RFP) to seek competitive bids for the EHA’s insurer—a responsible and necessary step to ensure we’re offering the best coverage at the best cost for the more than 90,000 education employees, early retirees, and their dependents across more than 300 school groups.

Along with my fellow EHA board members, I rolled up my sleeves and went deep into the process of finding the best fit for members. We reviewed benefits from several health insurers, held in-person interviews, and asked tough questions.

Behind the Scenes 
From there, the team—along with consultants from Health Insurance Risk Advisors and Mercer—dug into every detail: costs, customer service, pharmacy benefits, and medical management. We wanted to make sure we weren’t just getting a good price, but real value for our educators and their families.

After months of careful work, the board voted to select Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska (BCBSNE) as the insurer for the EHA program for the 2026–27 plan year (Sept. 1, 2026–Aug. 31, 2027).

Competitive Rates 
When the 2026–27 rates were released this fall, the overall increase was just 7.44%—well below the national average increase of around 18–20% projected for next year. That’s a solid win for educators across the state.

Nationally, health care costs continue to rise, driven by factors such as prescription drug prices, hospital costs, and increased demand for medical services. Even so, EHA’s careful management, strong partnerships, and focus on long-term stability helped keep the rate increase far below what many other groups are experiencing.

Every percentage point matters. For districts, it means more stability in budgeting. For employees, it means less money out of each paycheck and more predictability when planning for the year ahead. Holding rates steady—or in this case, keeping an increase well below national trends— reflects the power of collaboration between educators, administrators, and school boards who share the same goal: affordable, high-quality health coverage that supports the people who make our schools thrive.

An Honor to Serve 
When I retire at the end of December, I know that NSEA will continue to have a strong voice on the board. Six of the 12 voting members represent the NSEA.

Serving on the EHA board as chair has been a true privilege. It has given me a front-row seat to witness the dedication, expertise and care that go into protecting the health and well-being of Nebraska’s educators. Every meeting, every decision, and every percentage point we save makes a real difference in people’s lives.