Erie County Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw is studying ways to eliminate a costly and, in his mind, unnecessary benefit for county workers.

Over the past four years, county taxpayers have paid $1.4 million to cover massages and acupuncture treatments for county employees. The treatments are part of the county's medical benefit package and are covered by the county health insurance plan. Those covered are entitled to 12 massages and 6 acupuncture sessions per year. Mychajliw views these as a luxury and not a necessary benefit. "My elderly parents live down the street from me in Kaisertown. They are on a fixed income and struggle to pay their bills. Their limited income should not pay for workers to receive massages and acupuncture," says Mychajliw.

He is reviewing these benefits in an audit of the county insurance plan.