The Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as “Obamacare,” will arguably widen access to health insurance for many in Athens County who are uninsured, yet among village government officials, there is fear of increased costs.
Glouster City Council estimates premiums for city employees will cost $640 more per month, an increase Glouster Mayor Miles Wolf said could drain a smaller village government.
“We don’t like what we’re hearing about the potential of premiums almost doubling,” Wolf said. “There are still a lot of unanswered questions. We’re just sitting back and waiting for it to kick in and see if it’s best for us to keep the same company, look for another company or fall into line with this large insurance pool they are talking about forming with the increase in premiums.”
Wolf added that the village currently picks up between 90 to 95 percent of city employees’ premium costs in effort to make up for smaller paydays.
“Instead of giving raises every year, we try to pick up a lot of the increase in their insurance premium,” Wolf said. “But, if those premiums raise 30 percent or higher, that would be devastating and we would have to look at where we sit with our budget, who stays and who goes — if anybody — and then how much of an impact it’s going to have on their take-home pay.”
Of the village’s 14 employees, including five part-timers, eight carry their insurance.
Village employees have the option of sticking with the provided insurance, or they can opt out to the marketplace. Wolf said there is little benefit to jumping into this marketplace if you’re young, healthy and have an employer that provides insurance.
“It’s basically for those who are sick,” Wolf said. “Because they’re the ones who will be able to get policies on themselves since no other place could cover them without them paying a high rate.”
However, residents haven’t been discussing the upcoming exchanges involving the Affordable Care Act, said Roger Hooper, fiscal officer for the Village of Trimble.
“I have not heard anyone say a word about it,” Hooper said. “You have to understand that most people in our town are on Medicaid, and a good many people are retired and are on Medicare. There isn’t much reaction to it at all.”
Hooper said he is on Medicare and has supplemental insurance.
The biggest issue involving those living on the outskirts of Athens County receiving proper health care is transportation, said Nick Claussen of Athens County Jobs and Family Services.
“If they can get some plan where they can get to a doctor close to them, that would help a great deal,” Claussen said. “A lot of people are just stranded. People can’t get to a doctor all the time when they need to, which is a problem. It’s certainly not as accessible as it needs to be.”
Medicaid has transportation accommodations built in, Claussen said, which is a major benefit.
“It’s going to help them a great deal to get to the doctor regularly,” Claussen said. “But transportation is still a problem that we need to tackle.”
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