Published: November 06, 2008 01:56 pm      

Floyd County Councilman: Raise deductible, save county thousands

County will have to pay more for salt this year

John Schellenberger used an old quote to address a modern-day problem.

“If you continue to do the same old thing, you will continue to have the same results,” he said.

Schellenberger, a Floyd County councilman, asked the county commissioners Wednesday night to consider a proposal to raise employee deductibles on medical insurance. He said employees would not see an increase in insurance costs.

Schellenberger said by raising the deductible from $500 to $1,000, the county could potentially save $140,000. He said with the financial situation the county is in, that savings could be used toward building a youth shelter or reducing surplus shortfall. The money could also be put back into the general fund.

However, Floyd County Auditor Teresa Plaiss said many employees would be unable to come up with a $1,000 deductible.

“A lot of times you have to meet your deductible before you can have a procedure,” she said. “A lot of people don’t have that money up front. We would have people unable to get health care because they don’t have that money up front. It would be a hardship for some people.”

Schellenberger said it is worth considering a higher deductible to save the county money.

The commissioners did not take action on the proposal. Commissioner Chuck Freiberger said the reason the deductible has not been raised in recent years is because many of the employees have not received raises.

In other business

• It looks like the county will be paying more for road salt this winter.

Road Department Superintendent Ron Quakenbush said the county paid $38 a ton for salt last year but will pay $125 a ton this year. He said salt is “no where to be found.”

• An employee of the Reisz Building along Spring Street has informed the commissioners that mold has been detected in her blood and her doctor wants her to have a CAT scan. She wants the county to pay for the test.

County attorney Rick Fox said the employee should fill out an accident report and file workman’s compensation papers. The burden of proof would fall on her, he said.

The building was recently given a clean bill for mold.

“We have had test done inside that building, and no mold was found,” Freiberger said. “What I hear is the air is cleaner inside the builder than it is outside.”