Commissioners discuss amendment to insurance policy

COSHOCTON – The Coshocton County Commissioners met June 10, with Michael Zaluski to discuss the county’s health insurance policies.

Zaluski stopped by to encourage them to add a program amending how specialty drugs are handled.

“A lot of specialty drugs are $5,000 – $10,000 a pop now and Caremark has procedures to contact doctors before they are given to see if there are generic versions or other alternatives that can be used,” he said. “There is no cost to you. It’s just the insurance being proactive.”

Zaluski said in 1990 there were only 10 specialty drugs, but last year there were 900.

“Doctors just assign them to people for them to try,” he said. “All we are doing is making sure they are the right drug and there isn’t something else.”

The commissioners were concerned that there would be an added cost to the employees, but Zaluski informed them that at this point they wouldn’t be monetarily impacted.

“It’s just a system of checks and balances,” Zaluski said. “Everybody is grandfathered in (with their current medications). Only new employees would be impacted by the procedure. Everybody is jumping on board with this right now because the drugs that are coming out are just so costly.”

He also suggested that the commissioners consider offering county employees bridge policies, but they don’t have to make a decision on this until September when it is time to start working on their health insurance renewal.

“These can be as beneficial as you guys choose to make them,” said Mary Beck, the commissioners’ clerk.

During the meeting the commissioners also were asked to:

• Receive the dog warden’s report for the week ending June 8, with five dogs picked up by the warden, five dogs brought in as strays, five dogs destroyed, six citations issued, 33 calls handled, 13 dog licenses sold, nine late fees paid, four dogs sold, one dog per owner surrender for a total of $329 in fees collected.
• Request a motion to terminate the following part-time intermittent employees of the Emergency Medical Services as they failed to meet the required hours worked per pay period: Josh Bryan, Mary Everly, Greg Fisher and Donald Neighbor effective June 9, as requested by Todd Shroyer, EMS Director.
• Request a motion to accept the resignation of Alvin C. Moore III as an intermittent part-time paramedic effective June 9, as he has obtained full-time employment elsewhere, but keep him on the Coshocton County Emergency Medical Services Auxiliary as requested by Todd Shroyer, EMS Director.

josie@coshoctoncountybeacon.com

Category: Government