$3.3 million needed to cover final Macon-Bibb budget expenses

Macon-Bibb County needs $3.3 million to shore up its fiscal 2017 budget.

On Tuesday, the County Commission’s Operations and Finance Committee will discuss an ordinance outlining the extra money needed for the budget year that ended June 30.

Among the extra expenses is $1.19 million for maintenance and repairs, utility costs and overtime across various departments, Macon-Bibb spokesman Chris Floore said.

Commissioner Gary Bechtel said he is not surprised that additional money is needed for the budget. There were some areas such as eliminating a street light fee for some residents that took a bite into the county’s revenue.

“There’re some supplemental (requests) that will come a a result of overtime, street lights and some underestimation of some expenses in certain departments,” Bechtel said. “A lot of it is moving stuff around to make sure we have it applied correctly to a department.”

The extra funds will come out of the county’s reserve balance, which has taken a severe hit in recent years.

As part of the mid-fiscal-year review in December, the county’s budget was adjusted by $1.3 million, up to $144.1 million.

Macon-Bibb residents will see property taxes increase by 3 mills this year as officials aim to balance the fiscal 2018 budget.

Health care changes looming?

County employees could pay more for visits to the emergency room as officials look at ways of curbing health care expenses.

The County Commission’s Operations and Finance Committee will consider moving forward a resolution that recommends making changes to co-pays for emergency room and urgent care visits, and how employees pay for the most expensive prescription drugs.

During the first six months of 2017, Macon-Bibb’s health care costs rose to $7.9 million, compared to $6 million and and $6.6 million the previous two years, respectively, according to an update from BB&T and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia.

The higher costs were evident across an array of services, from prescription drugs to outpatient and inpatient care. Macon-Bibb has dealt with a larger number of claims, in part due to employees visiting the ER for non-emergencies.

The following recommendations coming before the County Commission are:

▪  Increase co-pay for emergency room visits from $150 to $300 for HMO plan and from $200 to $400 for point of service plans. Lower co-pay for urgent care from $50 to $35 for HMO plans and from $75 to $50 for point of service plans.

The average claim for emergency room visits in 2017 has been $1,336 compared to $221 for someone using urgent care, the resolution said.

▪  Eliminating the co-pay for “LiveHealth Online,” a service that allows patients to speak with doctors through video capabilities on smartphones, tablets or computers.

▪  Among the prescription drug changes is having half of a prescription filled when a patient is using an “extremely expensive” specialty medication for the first time. This could help determine if changes need to be made due to side effects, the resolution said.

▪  Charging a flat $200 co-pay for specialty drugs.

CPR training

Commissioners Joe Allen and Scotty Shepherd are sponsoring a resolution on the prospects of having all Macon-Bibb government employees trained in first aid, CPR and using defibrillators.

“Macon-Bibb County wants its employees to have the confidence and skills to respond to a variety of workplace emergencies and to be prepared to help those who are having a heart attack or feel like they were having a hearth attack,” the resolution states.

The resolution asks for Mayor Robert Reichert to appoint an official to make recommendations about training and buying more defibrillators and first aid kits.

“If you obtain the training and skill level you need, it could help you in your own family life,” Shepherd said recently.

This story was originally published September 25, 2017 at 5:17 PM with the headline "$3.3 million needed to cover final Macon-Bibb budget expenses."