Council approves routine appropriations and grant application; Bowen Health and insurer report savings and service expansion

The Marshall County Council on Aug. 11 heard reports from county-designated agencies and approved routine appropriations and transfers, including authorization for an emergency management grant application and several budget adjustments.

Bowen Health annual report and local services Bowen Health representatives told the council Bowen is the county’s designated community mental health center and that Bowen received $418,000 in county-designated tax support last fiscal year. Bowen’s region-wide report said the provider employed 98 people, served about 3,500 patients and delivered roughly 56,000 services in the fiscal year ending June 30. Bowen executives described planned expansion in Bremen — a leased site opening group and primary care services the week of Aug. 18 and a longer-term new facility adjacent to Bremen Hospital. Bowen said sliding-fee discounts and charity care provided to Marshall County residents totaled roughly $180,000 for outpatient clinic patients, plus additional sliding-fee/charity-care support for transitional living and inpatient care.

Gibson Insurance reports health-plan savings Gibson Insurance reported savings after Marshall County moved to a self-funded health plan in 2024. Two programs highlighted were “SHARKS,” a pharmacy-sourcing program for specialty drugs that the vendor says…