LTC expands employee healthcare
June 24, 2021 at 6:20 p.m.
By Randulf Teufel-
RMD operates two corporate wellness centers, one in Richmond and the second in Winchester, providing the same services available from a primary care provider or urgent care center. All services performed at the clinics are provided with no out-of-pocket expenses or charges to the healthcare plan. Additionally, the clinic offers approximately 250 medications, also available with no extra cost.
Barker explained the area serviced by RMD has a shortage of primary care providers and as a result, people tend to skip regular checkups and ignore minor health issues. Over time, these issues develop into bigger, more expensive problems. By providing a quick, easy to access healthcare solution, RMD hopes to improve the health of its clients and save money in the long term.
Some of RMD's clients have Healthworks built into their insurance plan, it is available to to other clients for an additional cost. Liberty has 12 employees on its health insurance plan, to add Healthworks would cost the town $8,352 annually.
“I'm hoping what this will do, if we adopt this, that it will allow us to have the employees go to the doctor ... so hopefully this will cause us to save money and hopefully the employees will use it more,” said Liberty clerk-treasurer Melissa Shepler.
LTC president Matt Barnhizer asked Shepler how the Healthworks contract would fit into the budget. Shepler replied each of the town's three departments have its own health insurance line that would cover the expense. Barnhizer asked the board if they wanted more information or were ready to make a decision, councilman Derrek Jenkins made a motion to approve the contract, councilman Ross Keasling seconded and the board voted to approve. Barker replied the town's employees would have access to the clinics starting July 1.
Also discussed:
-Arthur McCoy, engineer with Baseline Communications of Fort Wayne, sought permission to utilize utility right-of-ways to install a fiber optic network connection between the Union County College Corner Joint School District administrative building in Liberty and the College Corner Union School in College Corner. Keasling inquired about the timeframe for the project, McCoy estimated once Baseline is able to get permission from all appropriate entities, the project will have a three to five week lead time, construction could take up to two months. The project will begin in Liberty, where construction is expected to take less than a week, before heading along U.S. 27 and into West College Corner.
The project would run briefly along Eaton Street, which drew some concern regarding the proposed water main replacement that could take place next year. Barnhizer suggested Baseline should get in touch with Wessler Engineering, the firm working on the water main project to ensure it will not interfere.
Keasling made a motion to permit Baseline's access to the utility right-of-ways subject to review of Wessler and contact between Baseline's crew and Liberty utility superintendent Matt Reuss.
-A Brownsville resident requested a water bill adjustment regarding a leak the resident argued was caused by a regulator failure on the water main and asked for a reduction to the bill. Jenkins suggested tabling the matter until Reuss could review the situation, the board agreed.
-LTC reviewed and approved a revision to the town's drug-free workplace ordinance. The revision was suggested by the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs as part of it's water main grant application.
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RMD operates two corporate wellness centers, one in Richmond and the second in Winchester, providing the same services available from a primary care provider or urgent care center. All services performed at the clinics are provided with no out-of-pocket expenses or charges to the healthcare plan. Additionally, the clinic offers approximately 250 medications, also available with no extra cost.
Barker explained the area serviced by RMD has a shortage of primary care providers and as a result, people tend to skip regular checkups and ignore minor health issues. Over time, these issues develop into bigger, more expensive problems. By providing a quick, easy to access healthcare solution, RMD hopes to improve the health of its clients and save money in the long term.
Some of RMD's clients have Healthworks built into their insurance plan, it is available to to other clients for an additional cost. Liberty has 12 employees on its health insurance plan, to add Healthworks would cost the town $8,352 annually.
“I'm hoping what this will do, if we adopt this, that it will allow us to have the employees go to the doctor ... so hopefully this will cause us to save money and hopefully the employees will use it more,” said Liberty clerk-treasurer Melissa Shepler.
LTC president Matt Barnhizer asked Shepler how the Healthworks contract would fit into the budget. Shepler replied each of the town's three departments have its own health insurance line that would cover the expense. Barnhizer asked the board if they wanted more information or were ready to make a decision, councilman Derrek Jenkins made a motion to approve the contract, councilman Ross Keasling seconded and the board voted to approve. Barker replied the town's employees would have access to the clinics starting July 1.
Also discussed:
-Arthur McCoy, engineer with Baseline Communications of Fort Wayne, sought permission to utilize utility right-of-ways to install a fiber optic network connection between the Union County College Corner Joint School District administrative building in Liberty and the College Corner Union School in College Corner. Keasling inquired about the timeframe for the project, McCoy estimated once Baseline is able to get permission from all appropriate entities, the project will have a three to five week lead time, construction could take up to two months. The project will begin in Liberty, where construction is expected to take less than a week, before heading along U.S. 27 and into West College Corner.
The project would run briefly along Eaton Street, which drew some concern regarding the proposed water main replacement that could take place next year. Barnhizer suggested Baseline should get in touch with Wessler Engineering, the firm working on the water main project to ensure it will not interfere.
Keasling made a motion to permit Baseline's access to the utility right-of-ways subject to review of Wessler and contact between Baseline's crew and Liberty utility superintendent Matt Reuss.
-A Brownsville resident requested a water bill adjustment regarding a leak the resident argued was caused by a regulator failure on the water main and asked for a reduction to the bill. Jenkins suggested tabling the matter until Reuss could review the situation, the board agreed.
-LTC reviewed and approved a revision to the town's drug-free workplace ordinance. The revision was suggested by the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs as part of it's water main grant application.
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