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Commissioners remove annual tobacco-testing requirement from county health-insurance policy
Summary
Jackson County commissioners approved eliminating a 2013 policy that required yearly tobacco testing for employees after staff said testing costs about $68,000 annually while offering little benefit under the county’s self-funded plan.
Jackson County commissioners voted to eliminate a historic policy requiring annual tobacco testing for county employees.
Mr. Key explained the policy dated from 2013 and said the county spends roughly $68,000 a year on testing despite receiving limited benefit because Jackson County runs a self-funded health plan. He said smoking-cessation resources offered by the insurer will remain but the testing requirement itself was no longer cost-effective.
A motion to remove the policy was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote. The board’s discussion included brief, colloquial remarks from commissioners about testing procedures; no press questions followed.
