March 2017 has been designated Developmental Disabilities Month by the Williams Board of County Commissioners.
The commissioners hosted a contingent from the Williams County Board of DD at its meeting March 6. The commissioners approved a proclamation and posed for photos.
The proclamation encourages residents to support people with developmental disabilities including employment, housing, education and recreational opportunities. The documents salutes people with disabilities and encourages people to get know their neighbors who have developmental disabilities.
Attending the presentation were Robin Kurtz, a board of DD member; Deb Guilford, a supervisor for the Board of DD; Christina Perez of Montpelier, Jerry Spencer of Pioneer and Ashley Hendress of West Unity.
In other news, the commissioners got a 4th quarter update on health, dental and vision claims from Melissa Bodey, of CEBCO, the insurance company for the county.
The county’s loss ratio is 122.3, far above the CEBCO rate’s of 95 percent. The target range is 85-88 percent, she said.
Five large claims totaling $1.2 million is affecting the loss ratio for the county. This won’t affect the rated overalls as the county is assessed for only $500,000.
“We are hoping the numbers will improve,” Bodey said,
Dental rates will remain the same, Bodey said. The county’s loss ratio here is lower than the target ranged at 73 percent. Prescription claims are steady as well.
Bodey does not release specific information in public in the name of protecting individual members’ privacy.
The top condition by total amount paid out is hepatitis, while the condition with the highest prevalence is hypertension. More than 120 people have it she said.
Thirty-six have diabetes, Bodey said. The key to treatment is discovering if the condition is hereditary or a result of one’s lifeystyle, she said.
“We can reverse Type II diabetes,” Bodey said.
But that cannot happen if the members don’t see a physician. The report shows 192 members did not see a doctor at least once in the past 12 months.
It’s important for members to have a relationship with a doctor so when a problem arises they can gain quick access, Bodey said. It doesn’t make sense not to see a physician since the policy covers 100 percent of the preventative care costs.
“Twenty-five percent of members do not go (to a doctor),” Bodey said.
James Pruitt may be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com