Health Insurance

Jessamine County employees will notice a decrease in health-insurance cost beginning July 1, 2011, said Evelyn Smith, personnel/bookkeeper for the Jessamine County Fiscal Court. Currently, the county’s health insurance plan is with United Healthcare. According to Sherill-Morgan Agency’s Mike Williams, whom the county hired to conduct negotiations on its behalf, the cost to renew the plan with United would involve an 11-percent rate increase. Enter Humana. “We negotiated a little bit with (Humana)

Boyle County Fiscal Court voted to a 25 percent increase in employee health insurance prices - not as much as had been proposed - in a meeting postponed three hours due to a bomb threat at the courthouse. Following an evacuation of the building for what turned out to be a false alarm, the court voted to raise health insurance deductibles for employee medical plans by 25 percent. The amount individual employees have to pay for medical care within the plan's network of providers before the insurance benefits kick in was increased from $200 to $250.

Health insurance premiums paid by county employees will not increase as a result of the county switching to self-funded insurance after the Jessamine County Fiscal Court voted Friday to keep those payments the same. The vote came after Evelyn Smith,  county personnel administrator, presented the court with the option to keep the payments the same, along with a second option of raising employee contributions by almost 4 percent, which is the maximum expected increase in health insurance costs for the county.

Dear Editor, Brian Cooney's Feb. 15 column on the nation's need for single payer health care was one of the most clearly written and convincing arguments I've seen. On Ben Chandler's web site, the congressman posts the results of a recent "issue survey" sent to his constituents. Respondents were asked to identify the issue "most important to you and your family. " Health care scored as the main concern. Voters in Rep. Chandler's district are urged to contact Rep. Chandler immediately: in Washington (202)

Dear Editor, One has to wonder why a healthy young man died from the swine flu virus without seeking the medical attention he so desperately needed. Could it be he didn't have health insurance? As a citizen of the United States of America, access to health care should be a right and not a privilege. Let's start thinking "We, not me" in this country. Linda Lussier Danville

Dear Editor: I have a concern regarding the coverage of the candidates forum that was held Oct. 19 at the high school. It was reported that "all the candidates seemed to be put on the spot when they were asked if they believe commissioners and their families should be offered health insurance coverage. " To imply that we were all "put on the spot" with this question is just not factual. I was very firm and was very definite where I stand on this issue. I was the only candidate who said that, historically, part-time workers do not receive fully paid health insurance.

Dear Editor, Bob Martin suggested in his June 18 column that private health insurance is a financial safety net against the exorbitant costs health care. He also suggested that health insurance often poses a "moral hazard" to the patient who is tempted to overselect expensive treatments from an implied menu of options. I have to disagree. A recent study in the American Journal of Medicine found that 62 percent of all bankruptcies in 2007 were tied to medical bills, and of those filling, 75 percent had health insurance.

Like many of you, I can honestly say that the proudest moments of my life have been the births of my three children. Even 14 years later, those moments are still vivid in my memory. Also vivid is the natural instinct to protect and nurture my children that I felt from the first moment I held them. Indeed, life experience and biology teach us that protecting our offspring is the most natural and fundamental aspect of being alive. It is the greatest responsibility that parents have to their children and is indicative of what our society values as a whole.

Dear Editor: There are 44 million uninsured working people in this country. That is the population of Oklahoma, Kansas, West Virginia, Nebraska, Maine, Delaware, Nevada, North and South Dakota, Alaska, Vermont, Wyoming and five other states. Imagine if all those states were in one area, would our government have ignored this? Many of the hard-working uninsured avoid medical visits because of the expenses. When these people finally do see a doctor or visit an emergency room, someone pays, because, thankfully, people cannot be denied medical help.

KCHIP, otherwise known as Kentucky Children’s Health Insurance Program is a free, or low-cost, health insurance program for children. It is for children under the age of 19 who do not have health insurance and for families with low income levels who qualify. The plan gives Kentucky’s children needed health insurance which, in turn, gives children more opportunity for success in life. Many studies have suggested that children’s health status correlates with their academic achievements.

Jessamine County's newest chiropractic practice, Nicholasville Family Chiropractic (NFC), opened earlier this month at 100 John Sutherland Drive, Suite 1B. Dr. Kerri A. Cieply, a Louisville native, graduated from the University of Kentucky with a sports marketing degree. She received her chiropractic training from Parker College of Chiropractic in Dallas, Texas. After completing her chiropractic training, Cieply - who has been practicing since 2009 - felt the bluegrass calling.

During Tuesday's Boyle County Fiscal Court session, Sheriff Marty Elliott again expressed his belief that his department is dangerously understaffed. The sheriff's comments came amid discussions by magistrates, Judge-Executive Harold McKinney and Treasurer Mary Lynn Conley. For at least a year, the sheriff and magistrates have differed on whether the department is adequately staffed. All county departments using part-time employees must keep each person's weekly hours to less than 30. Otherwise, Boyle officials must pay $750 per month for health insurance for each employee who works at least 30 hours weekly.

Governor Beshear hired outside consultants, listened to health care advocates and hospital officials, did the math, and decided to expand Kentucky's Medicaid coverage through the Affordable Care Act.   More than 300,000 additional Kentuckians will be covered, and he concluded it would cost the state more ($38.9 million additional) to turn down the expansion than to approve it.  The coverage would be extended to family units at or below 138 percent of the poverty line (i.e. to single adults making as much as $15,856 and to families of four with incomes up to $32,499)

If Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, a Democrat, decides to run against incumbent Republican Mitch McConnell for the U. S. Senate next year, her announcement might go something like this ... if she is completely candid. The scene: a Lexington hotel ballroom. Grimes steps to the microphone. She speaks in a strident, yelling style, flails her arms wildly, and repeatedly refers to herself in the third person: “When ALISON LUNDERGAN GRIMES ran for Secretary of State, she said she would serve out the full four-year term!

Health insurance premiums paid by county employees will not increase as a result of the county switching to self-funded insurance after the Jessamine County Fiscal Court voted Friday to keep those payments the same. The vote came after Evelyn Smith,  county personnel administrator, presented the court with the option to keep the payments the same, along with a second option of raising employee contributions by almost 4 percent, which is the maximum expected increase in health insurance costs for the county.

The cost of health insurance for the city of Wilmore soon will increase, but actual renewal costs are not yet available, according to a presentation given to the Wilmore City Council on Monday. Pat Duncan with Kentucky League of Cities (KLC) Insurance Services told the council that renewal rates might not be ready until June. The city must renew its insurance July 1. Duncan told the council that the increase is due to the Affordable Care Act. Several provisions of the act are set to take effect in 2014, which will raise costs, Duncan said.

About two dozen people joined state Rep. Bob Damron, D-Nicholasville, and state Sen. Tom Buford, R-Nicholasville, at a legislative breakfast Saturday as they discussed topics tackled by legislators during the short session of the general assembly. Pension reform, redistricting and health-care reform were the main topics discussed during the breakfast, held by the Jessamine County Chamber of Commerce at J.D. Legends. A plan proposed by the senate for pension reform, one of the major issues yet to be resolved by the legislature, is “a losing proposition,” Buford said.

Nurse practitioners work in every corner of Kentucky, and are keenly aware of what goes into the state's disturbing health statistics. Kentucky ranks among the worst in the nation for diabetes, obesity and cancer, and unfortunately also ranks poorly regarding the number of practicing primary care physicians. This is not a good combination when it comes to those who need care. There are many regions across the state where a nurse practitioner or nurse midwife is the only full time primary care provider.

Nurse practitioners work in every comer of Kentucky and are keenly aware of what goes into the state's disturbing health statistics. Kentucky ranks among the worst in the nation for diabetes, obesity and cancer, and unfortunately also ranks poorly regarding the number of practicing primary care physicians. This is not a good combination when it comes to those who need care. There are many regions across the state where a nurse practitioner or nurse midwife is the only full time primary care provider.

The Jessamine Journal is seeking a sports editor for our weekly community newspaper in Central Kentucky. Job duties will include game coverage of high school sports, sports features, and youth league sports. Must be able to write game stories quickly on deadline and also post to the web, and manage sports social media accounts. Duties also include photography, videography and page design. Ideal candidates must possess a bachelor's degree in communication, English or journalism. We want someone with strong writing, copy editing and design skills.