GENERAL NOTICE: Employee Stop-Loss Insurance

The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (ISTHA), through the Illinois Tollway, procured employee stop-loss insurance coverage via a Notice of Award issued on February 19, 2026, with a due date of March 5, 2026. This procurement was facilitated through the Illinois Tollway's Master Blanket Purchase Order 24-557THA-FINAN-P-88861 in coordination with insurance broker Aon Risk Services Central, Inc. The stop-loss insurance program is designed to protect the Tollway from excessive claim costs under its Employee Benefits Program by reimbursing the agency for individual claims that exceed a specified threshold, thereby limiting the organization's financial exposure to catastrophic or high-value medical claims. The contract award was contingent upon approval from the Tollway's Board of Directors at the February 2026 Board meeting, with an initial contract term of one year commencing March 1, 2026 and concluding February 28, 2027. Three proposals were received during the solicitation process, with Wellpoint Life and Health Insurance Company selected as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, competing against HM Insurance ($1,492,998) and Aetna Life Insurance Company ($3,217,793).

This procurement carried no specific set-aside designations or restrictions limiting eligible respondents, and no Business Enterprise Program (BEP) or Veterans Business Program (VBP) utilization was included in the awarded proposal. Wellpoint Life and Health Insurance Company was designated as the incumbent vendor and successful awardee for this contract. The total award value for the one-year contract term was not to exceed $1,234,872.00, representing a cost savings of approximately $258,126 compared to the next lowest bid and over $1.9 million compared to the highest proposal. The contract contains no identified renewal terms or estimated financial return projections to the state. For further information regarding this award, interested parties may contact Cheryl Heinz at the ISTHA office in Downers Grove, Illinois at 630-371-8302 or cheinz@getipass.com.