Urban County Council Special Meeting

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Council met on September 20, 2011, at 3:00 p.m. in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Jim Gray presiding. The council conducted business on two agenda items, taking two votes and hearing five public comments during the session. The meeting focused on employee health insurance matters, including a presentation on the City of Chattanooga's health insurance program and consideration of an agreement with Marathon Health, Inc. Both agenda items were approved by the council.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the meeting on September 20, 2011:

• Jay McCord
• Myers
• Stinnett
• Beard
• Blues
• Crosbie
• Ellinger
• Farmer
• Ford
• Gorton
• Henson
• Kay
• Lane
• Lawless
• Martin

No absences or late arrivals were recorded.

Votes and Decisions

Marathon Health, Inc. Agreement 1:57:41

The council held a second reading of a resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute an agreement with Marathon Health, Inc. for wellness, disease management, health consultation, and primary care services at a cost not to exceed $1,370,886. Crosbie moved the resolution, and Farmer seconded it.

The motion passed by roll call vote with 14 ayes and 1 nay.

Voting in favor: McChord, Myers, Stinnett, Beard, Blues, Crosbie, Ellinger, Farmer, Ford, Gorton, Henson, Kay, Lane, and Lawless.

Voting against: Martin.

Adjournment 1:59:16

Lane moved to adjourn the special council meeting, and Ellinger seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously with all 15 council members voting in favor: McChord, Myers, Stinnett, Beard, Blues, Crosbie, Ellinger, Farmer, Ford, Gorton, Henson, Kay, Lane, Lawless, and Martin.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting included approval of the following financial action:

Marathon Health, Inc. Contract

Resolution 0073-26 authorized expenditure of $1,370,886 to execute an agreement with Marathon Health, Inc. for wellness, disease management, health consultation, and primary care services.

Public Comment

Several speakers addressed the council on health care and related operational matters during the meeting.

Jay McCord 40:02 spoke about the need for a fundamental shift in thinking about health care. He emphasized that cost savings should be viewed as a result of healthier lifestyles rather than as the primary goal. McCord urged the council to redirect focus from "sick care" to "wellness care" and to view health as a long-term investment.

Council Member Myers 1:41:36 inquired about the engagement strategy for lifestyle management programs. He asked about plans to increase employee participation in such programs and requested information about the timeline for designing the CHIPs incentive program.

Council Member Farmer 1:31:11 raised questions about facility costs and location uncertainty. He asked about the cost of the clinic facility and expressed concern that the location had not yet been determined, noting budget constraints and the need for a quick decision.

Council Member Stinnett 1:46:33 addressed the urgency of determining the clinic location. He asked for a deadline on selecting a clinic site and noted that employee hesitation appeared to be tied to uncertainty about the location and parking availability.

Council Member Martin 1:48:43 expressed concerns about the economic impact of awarding a major health services contract to a Vermont-based for-profit company. He questioned why the city was not supporting local Lexington-based providers, particularly given the city's strong health care expertise.

Contested Items

Out-of-State Vendor Selection

A heated discussion arose regarding the selection of an out-of-state vendor for a major contract. Council Member Martin raised strong concerns about awarding the contract to a Vermont-based for-profit company rather than supporting local Lexington providers. Martin emphasized that this decision overlooked the city's significant health care expertise available within the community. The disagreement centered on whether prioritizing an external vendor was the appropriate choice given local capacity and capabilities.

Presentation: Employee Health Insurance – City of Chattanooga, Tenn.

Madeline Green, Director of Risk Management and Insurance for the City of Chattanooga, presented the city's comprehensive employee health insurance and wellness program 6:31. The presentation outlined several key components of the program designed to improve employee health outcomes and manage costs.

Program Components

The wellness initiative includes the following elements:

• On-site clinics
• Fitness centers
• On-site pharmacy services
• Lifestyle management programs
• An incentive program called CHIPS

Results and Outcomes

According to the presentation, the city's wellness program has achieved significant results, including cost savings and improved employee health outcomes. The program was approved by the meeting attendees.

Key Speakers

In addition to Madeline Green, the discussion involved Susan Dubose, Jerry Ford, and Dave Demers, though their specific contributions are not detailed in the available records.

The presentation demonstrates the City of Chattanooga's comprehensive approach to employee health insurance, combining preventive care services with incentive-based wellness programs to achieve measurable improvements in both employee health and municipal healthcare expenditures.

Resolution – Second Reading: Authorization to execute agreement with Marathon Health, Inc.

The council considered a resolution to authorize execution of an agreement with Marathon Health, Inc. to provide wellness, disease management, health consultation, and primary care services. 1:57:08

Key Participants

The discussion involved Mayor Jim Gray, Madeline Green, Dave Demers, Ryan Barrow, Briggs Cochran, and Council Member Martin.

Issues Discussed

Several concerns were raised during the deliberation:

• Vendor selection – Questions were raised about how Marathon Health, Inc. was selected for this agreement
• Location – Concerns about where services would be provided
• Cost – Discussion regarding the financial terms of the agreement
• Employee engagement – Questions about how employees would participate in and utilize the proposed services

Outcome

The resolution passed with 14 ayes and 1 nay, authorizing the city to execute the agreement with Marathon Health, Inc.