Douglas County employees soon will pay $25 a month to help defray rising health-insurance costs.

Beginning June 1, county employees from clerks in the Treasurer’s Office to sheriff’s deputies on the streets will pay out-of-pocket premiums for individual health insurance coverage. Previously, the county picked up all premium costs for individual policies.

County commissioners approved the premium and other changes Monday as part of an overall insurance plan for the 2002-2003 plan year, which begins June 1.

“Nobody likes that it is a $25 hit for each employee but it is very consistent with what’s been going on in the industry,” said Commissioner Bob Johnson, retired chairman and chief executive officer of Charlton-Manley Insurance Inc. in Lawrence.

Commissioners also increased out-of-pocket insurance premiums for retirees by 15 percent, meaning a retiree will pay $230 for individual coverage, up from the current $200. Retirees also will pay more for prescription medicines.

Craig Weinaug, county administrator, described the changes as “extremely reasonable” given the existing insurance market, which has been hit by rapidly rising costs for prescription medicines. The county also has faced rising premiums for reinsurance coverage.

Jere McElhaney, commission chairman, supported the premium increases but said he was worried that retirees would be hit hardest and be least able to absorb increased out-of-pocket costs.

But Pam Madl, the county’s director of administrative services, said that few companies even offered their retirees insurance coverage anymore. And she has yet to see a Medicare supplemental policy that offers better coverage at a lower cost.

Commissioner Charles Jones agreed.

“The private sector doesn’t even offer this plan,” he said. “It’s a good deal.”

In other action, commissioners:

l Appointed Jane Bierta, a resident of Grant Township, to the Douglas County Fair Board.