Vernon County reviews Neighborhood Family Clinic billing after clinic costs exceed budget

Vernon County officials spent more than an hour on Jan. 8 reviewing invoices and policy options for services provided at the Neighborhood Family Clinic, after 2024 clinic charges exceeded the county’s budgeted amount.

County HR staff presented July–November visit categories from the clinic and said the county’s total 2024 payments to Neighborhood Family Clinic were $87,002.82, roughly $12,000 above the $75,000 the county had set aside. Tricia (staff member) said the county wants clearer rules about which services the county will pay for and recommended a written agreement with the clinic to reduce future billing surprises.

Why it matters: County leaders said the Neighborhood Family Clinic operates as a supplemental option for staff but overlaps with health insurance coverage the county already provides (referred to several times in the meeting as the county’s “Quartz” plan). Commissioners expressed concern that the county is paying for services that employees can obtain without county funding through their primary insurance, including routine immunizations and…