INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The Indian River County School Board Tuesday night approved a three-year contract with CareHere to provide an employee health clinic School District employees and their families can use.
CareHere, a Tennessee-based health care provider, will set up the clinic in a couple concretables located at the School District’s transportation hub on 41st Street, west of 43rd Avenue. The estimated first-year expense of setting up and running the clinic is $1.3 million, which includes one-time expenses of equipping the clinic.
In subsequent years, the annual cost estimate is $1.15 million, according to the School District.
CareHere is expected to provide services to employees who voluntarily sign up for the health clinic option beginning sometime around July 1.
The expenses related to the health clinic will be covered by the School District’s insurance fund, which is a combination of monies from the School District and employee insurance premiums.
School Board member Karen Disney-Brombach told the audience that the District’s insurance fund is in danger of dropping to a level that would be deemed not solvent if health insurance costs increase.
One of the biggest contributors to increased expenses is medications, which the health clinic would be able to provide at wholesale prices rather than higher retail prices employees currently pay when picking up prescriptions from various pharmacies.
Disney-Brombach said that other benefits to having a health clinic from employees include creating a “culture of wellness” for staff by making wellness easier to attain.
“It is a win-win situation,” School Board member Dale Simchick said, agreeing with Disney-Brombach’s assessment. She explained the clinic helps the District be more fiscally responsible while providing a benefit to the employees that could help boost morale.
School Board member Matt McCain cast the lone dissenting vote and did not offer comments prior to the vote.