Blogger's Note: Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure issued a news release today that continues to make the case for his proposed health center, even though it has already been rejected by County Council in a 5-4 vote. He may be trying to flip one of the No votes. Morelikely, he is making a pitch to the County Council that takes office in January.
FROM NORTHAMPTON COUNTY: Northampton County Council rejected the Administration’s proposed Employee Health Center at their meeting on Thursday, July 20th.
“I am utterly disappointed in our current County Council. The Employee Health Center would have saved taxpayers $1.5 million - $2 million per year. The services provided by the Health Center would have been an option for employees on top of their current health insurance. The services would have been strictly confidential, strictly voluntary, and provided on a no-copay basis,” says Lamont G. McClure. “Northampton County employees and residents have been seriously misled by certain members of Council regarding this project. Council had been given sufficient time to ask for more information.”
5/25/2022 – Northampton County Department of Human Resources sent a survey to all Northampton County employees to garner interest in a potential Employee Health Center. Survey results show that an Employee Health Center is overwhelmingly supported by employees:
Would you use an onsite or near-site Health Center that is run by a 3rd party and offered exclusively to County employees and their insured dependents?
78.2% Yes
21.8% No
Would you frequent a Health Center (check all that apply):
24.3% -During work hours
39.3% - After work hours
26.7% - During lunch time
9.8% - Other
Which of the following would you prefer?
46.2% - Onsite Center
40.8% - Near Site Center
9.2% - Virtual Clinic
3.8% - Mobile Clinic
Which medical providers would you use at an Employee Health Center (top 5 answers)
14.6% - Physician
11.4% - Physician Assistant
10.5% - Nurse Practitioner
8% - Nurse
5.5% - Medical Assistant
8/17/2022 – The first presentation in front of Northampton County Council Finance Committee about an Employee Health Center. Integrity Health presented to the Finance Committee for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Attending from Integrity Health:
Douglas Forrester, Chairman & CEO
Mark Caliguire, Vice President of Government Relations and Client Development
Dr. Joseph Calabro, Chief Physician Executive
10/19/2022 – Integrity Health presented to the Northampton County Council Finance Committee for 50 minutes.
Attending from Integrity Health:
Douglas Forrester, Chairman & CEO
Mark Caliguire, Vice President of Government Relations and Client Development
Judy Lagana, Chief Clinical Officer & Senior Vice President
In this meeting, Administration advised that funding for the Employee Health Center is present in the 2023 Budget, including how the Self Insurance Trust Fund could potentially pay for the Health Center. Former Council President Lori Vargo Heffner said at the time: “The fact that he’s just proposing a single vendor and not being transparent with the rest of it is problematic. How can you say when it’s millions of dollars on the line that he wouldn’t have to go through competitive bidding? I don’t think that’s good government.”
2/24/2023 – Integrity Health operates several health centers in New Jersey and expanded to Lycoming County, Pennsylvania. In response to Former Council President Lori Vargo Heffner’s statement, Administration reviewed Lycoming County’s RFP Outline model and Northampton County then posted an RFP through the Public Purchase Platform and invited 665 entities to possibly bid on the project.
4/27/2023 – The proposals on the project were due to Northampton County. The County received five proposals and one letter from St. Luke’s Hospital that was a no bid. There were 55 entities that downloaded the bid package from the system. The purchasing department, fiscal department, and human resources collectively answered 57 questions about the RFP on the system over the two months it was posted. The purchasing department extended the deadline for submitting RFPs so that all bidders could review answers to the questions asked.
5/5/2023 – The Request for Proposal Committee met for the first time to review the five proposals the County received. This committee included Northampton County Commissioner Tom Giovanni, Director of Human Services Susan Wandalowski, Director of Human Resources Mary Lou Kaboly, Director of Fiscal Affairs Stephen Barron, and Procurement Manager Kathryn Anderson. At this meeting, the group felt strongly that Integrity Health and Everside should both be interviewed based on price and services. Care ACT was also extended an interview as they had the potential to be competitive with the other two. This was a unanimous decision, and interviews were scheduled in person or via Zoom as some bidders were more local than others.
5/31/2023 – The Request for Proposal Committee met to discuss the interviews and make a decision. The group considered the price, hours, service delivery model (i.e., doctor vs. nurse practitioner vs. physician assistant, etc.), ROI/performance guarantee, and virtual visit options. Also, each company discussed their focus on primary care health, wellness, and education. Integrity Health was unanimously selected by the Request for Proposal Committee. The Request for Proposal Committee specifically asked Mr. Giovanni if there were any other concerns that Council had that the group needed to address.
6/14/2023 - The Request for Proposal Committee presented their decision to County Council, along with the objective process undertaken by the group.
7/19/2023 – County Council was presented with a contract and a matrix related to a performance guarantee and was asked to vote at the next County Council Meeting. This information was promised to be delivered to Council for consideration at the 6/14/2023 meeting at the suggested timetable of Mr. Giovanni.
7/20/2023 – Council votes against awarding the contract 5-4.
“Providing county employees with the best health care available while controlling costs for both county employees and taxpayers will continue to be a top priority of mine. This project isn’t dead yet,” says Lamont G. McClure.
26 comments:
How many employees are there vs. how many completed the survey? Was it a blind survey in which no names/emails collected?
McClure provided this information to Council. There were 481 respondents of about 2000 employees eligible. According to McClure, 25% of the workforce responded to the survey. They cannot be forced to respond. A good survey response rate is between 5-30%.
https://delighted.com/blog/average-survey-response-rate#:~:text=So%2C%20what%20is%20a%20good,rate%20is%2050%25%20or%20higher.
https://lehighvalleyramblings.blogspot.com/2023/01/norco-council-overrides-veto-of.html
https://lehighvalleyramblings.blogspot.com/2022/11/mcclure-fires-back-at-norco-council.html
Now, if as he states, this is going to be on top of their existing health insurance, how is this going to save us poor taxpayers any money? Smells fishy to me.
Old Ironhead McClure thinks if you bang against a wall long enough you can turn it into a door. The guy has an ego matched only by Derringers. The problem is by continuing to attack and demean the county council, he not only won't change anyone's mind, but he may also in fact lose votes he now has for it. His burn the village tactics have been tried before by others. It failed then and it will fail now. His new rubber stamps if elected may give him the win, if the thing is even viable by then.
You have been in the bag since day one and will swallow anything you are fed by the boys. Things are getting complicated as the stories of third-party consultants, money and Barron secret meetings are being leaked to council. This project is starting to take on a smell of dead NJ fish. If the consultants are some of the people rumored, this scheme could die a very swift death.
I am an employee. I completed the survey. I was not asked for identifying information. I am in favor of the health center as my own PCP does not always have hours available. I typically end up at an urgent care. If I chose not to use the health center, I still have the option to go to my PCP. Some businesses offer this one day a week at their offices. When they have shared with me about it, they presented it as another option for their employees which provided convenience and faster access to care. People should stop the automatic conspiracy theories and really research the project. People seem to be more outraged at this potential option rather than John Brown’s option…..raise our healthcare so we pay more. He did it before. Do we all forget that? Unions didn’t want to negotiate their contracts because they didn’t want their healthcare going up. If it comes up again before council, Bernie please let the employees know ahead of time. If council really cares what we think, employees will come tell them. Sadly we have lost all faith in most of council on both sides. And the ones who like to brag that they are all about the employees gave their votes to the side with John Brown. John Brown hasn’t cared about employees. We had 4 years of his “caring” ways.
McClure is hellbent on making this health center work but he needs to stop playing politics and stop avoiding the only solution. And that is, you guessed it, RAISE PROPERTY TAXES.
I’m so sorry for the county resident that has to pay $50 more on taxes a year, but the burden shouldn’t be placed on employees that are literally making below poverty wages.
And a big middle finger in advance to those who will comment against raising taxes - go after big Capital Blue who continues to raise rates even after generating record profits every year.
Kerry and Lori made a good point. I think Goffredo to. Where exactly were the employees ? The people who could benefit most were no where to be scene. The deputy sheriffs who would maybe benefit the most didn’t even write a letter. At least the other 4 unions bothered to write a letter.
LVH didn’t have enough information, how does she have a job?
Once again, how can savings be calculated?? Unless this becomes a mandatory "in network" provider, then the employees have the option of going wherever they want, and whatever cost. I do not understand this. Am I missing something?
"Once again, how can savings be calculated?? Unless this becomes a mandatory "in network" provider, then the employees have the option of going wherever they want, and whatever cost. I do not understand this. Am I missing something?"
This has been explained several times. The county is self-insured, meaning that it pays for all medical care under the health plans. If an employee goers to an urgent care or any one of the medical offices bought up by the two hospitals, the county pays through the nose. Our disgusting health care providers will charge whatever the hell they want. Anyone who has seen a bill sees exactly what I mean.
A voluntary employee health center changes that. They charge a set fee for employee medical care and the employee pays nothing. The county pays less of those outrageous bills charged by our broken health care system. This is how it saves $ for both the county and employee.
At the Dr now spent $40 just to walk in the door , health center would save me so much money $$ thanks county council for caring about the employees NOT !!
What’s a matter with Giovanni. He was involved in the whole thing right until the time he made a speech making the case for the health center and then votes against it.
Tom is Brown’s best friend.
"Old Ironhead McClure thinks if you bang against a wall long enough you can turn it into a door."
It's best for him to wait for some fresh faces. He's changing no minds on Council. It is, however, important that the pubic know that this is not just nice little treat for employees that the private sector does not have. It is also something that will save the taxpayers money in the form of reduced health care costs. It works when an employer is self-insured. That's the point McClure needs to hammer home. This will save you, the taxpayer, money.
Bernie, Is there a list of proposed services the Health Center will provide? Will it provide primary health care, prescription medication, women's health services, Lab work, etc? I've yet to see the full scope of services proposed. I think if folks understand what might be offered it might make a difference in their opinion of it.
9:23, It will provide a full range of medical services, from primary care to lab work to prescriptions. No co-pays. It will even provide advocacy to handle disputes over coverage. This has been outlined a few times.
A good survey response rate is meaningless if the sample is skewed.
Giovanni is not an independent thinker. Brown tells him how to vote. He’s so weak he made a statement saying his wife told him how to vote.
"If the consultants are some of the people rumored, this scheme could die a very swift death."
don't "whisper down the alley" the allegation: if you have info, spit it out.
"Giovanni is not an independent thinker. Brown tells him how to vote. He’s so weak he made a statement saying his wife told him how to vote."
This is nonsense. He has routinely voted against Brown. Moreover, his wife did not tell her how to vote. She is a nurse, and he asked her what she thought. If this is an attempt at trying to persuade someone to change his vote, you have work to do. I respect the conservatives who voted No. I just disagree with them. There's no reason to demean them. This is what causes division.
"don't "whisper down the alley" the allegation: if you have info, spit it o"
Of course that is horseshit. Someone has it in for Barron and is making shit up.
If I'm asked to complete a survey at work, I generally comply. When I don't, that is an indication I don't care one way or another (and that I know my opinion doesn't matter in the least). 75% of the workforce not completing this survey is concerning to me, though, especially when it is something that is said to benefit the employee. The message isn't getting to the troops, so to speak.
12:19, My guess is that you would oppose a health center even if it was recommended by every county worker. You are implying that employee opinions do not count. That is false. Before McClure decided to even broach the subject, he did that survey. He mentioned it the very first time he spoke about the health center. He said he was quite skeptical about it for some time. He understands that others might be skeptical as well. The reality is that this is actually a win-win. It will save the county money. It will save employees money and might actually improve their health outcomes. It will save the taxpayers money because the savings should offset a possible tax hike to pay for medical care or cause a reduction in health benefits covered.
"Of course that is horseshit. Someone has it in for Barron and is making shit up"
You will swallow any horseshit that they feed you. Barron does it to himself. Before you were bought out, you remembered how he abused his position as Controller. He double dipped jobs at the community college. He was the only Controller to be sanctioned by censure for trying to shake down a business owner while pretending to speak for the county.
So now you have been bought out by a dinner or soup or whatever and pretend it never happened. Barrons's weakness is arrogance. A majority of council have stated he is arrogant as hell when he addresses them and disrespectful with his double talk. That has been a problem he has always had, as he likes to show off and act important.
Hopefully county council should use their authority and have an investigative hearing over this health center contract where people are subpoenaed and under oath. Maybe then we can all get the truth about what has transpired behind closed doors and with who. If its all been open and honest, it should not be a problem who gets called to testify.
You ought to go into standup comedy. You're funny - "making below poverty level wages." Now, get back to work and earn my taxpayer dollars!
11:30, You have been asked to and have failed to name one of the supposed consultants who supposedly lobbied for this project. Now you are sliming Barron and claiming he bopught me with soup or a dinner. You're just nuts.
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