With the cost of Seneca County employees' health insurance increasing 8 percent next year, commissioners hope to help employees by supporting a wellness benefit program.
Job and Family Services Assistant Director Bob Anderson presented the board with county employees' wellness program for next year Tuesday, and he brought a list of preventative, physical and educational activities they could do to earn points.
"My initial goal was each year we make this a little bit more for employees," he said.
Anderson said 2013's wellness program is based on Honda's, and employees would have to get 150 points in the program to be eligible for incentives.
Those eligible for the incentives would save 25 percent on their high-deductible health plan.
Some of the preventative activities include annual physicals (40 points), mammograms and prostate screens (25 points) and colonoscopies (35 points).
Physical activities include short, medium and long distance events such as biking, running or walking; sports league participation; and home or gym workouts.
Educational activities include a stress management program, Seneca Wellness Health Fair, weight loss programs and health coaching.
All activities not covered by employees' health insurance are to be paid by the employees, Anderson said.
"People do all these things to get 150 points, that's a substantial effort," Commission President Ben Nutter said. "It's a lot of work, and they're going to be healthy. That's the goal. So five years from now, our experience would be less and our rates would be less."
In other business, Commissioner Jeff Wagner said the Wolf Creek ditch hearing is two weeks away.
Wagner also said Commissioner-elect Holly Stacy expressed interest in attending the winter conference.
Nutter said the two commissioners-elect attending the conference are legitimate expenses.
"The better they can hit the ground running when they come in, the better for the taxpayer," he said. "It certainly would be worth while for them."
In new business, the board approved:
* A supplemental appropriation of $200 for the Flex Spending Fund.
* A supplemental appropriation of $7,402.94 for the Law Library Resources Board Fund.
* A resolution authorizing the snow removal agreement for the Count's large lots with Elchert's Lawn and Snow Removal.
* A resolution authorizing commissioners to enter into an addendum for the agreement with Seneca County General Health District for 2012 Nursing Services on behalf of the Seneca County Youth Center.
