I think one phrase, repeated in these articles, can leave a misleading impression: “Currently, the employees pay nothing.” That can make it sound like county workers get completely free health care. 

In fact, even low-paid county workers may still have to spend thousands out-of-pocket on their health care. 

County workers pay both co-pays, and substantial deductibles, and these amounts have gone up, from contract to contract... just like most people’s in our broken health care payment system.