Hamilton County Commissioner Tim Boyd from District 8
Hamilton County Commissioners voted today to approve a contract with Galen Medical Group to start an onsite clinic and chronic care program for county employees.
The $550,000 clinic would be built in the McDaniel Building and would provide employees with easy access to health care.
Commissioner Tim Boyd asked why the county could not simply join with the city of Chattanooga's employee health clinic.
He said his constituents had concerns that the county would be duplicating services.
Human Resources Director Leslie Longshore said the county and city are two separate governments, with separate health benefits, health insurance carriers and different goals.
The bulk of the first year cost is administration and supplying services, not build out. And Longshore said the cost would still carry over if the county joined the city's clinic.
"We are about to spend a half-million dollars. Can we tell taxpayers that we will get a return on that half-million dollars," Boyd asked.
Longshore said the health care service is expected to be revenue neutral.