Erie County Comptroller to audit health insurance
The Erie County Comptroller says his office will audit the amount the county spends on health insurance for employees and retirees.
Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw says he was surprised when he found out county health insurance covered massage therapy and acupuncture. He says those two services alone cost nearly $1.4 million dollars over the past 4 years.
Mychajliw says the benefit is a luxury which insurance should only cover if the therapies are medically necessary.
"Any county employee for the most part, can walk into a spa, pay a minimal $8-10 co-pay, and receive a massage once a month, and receive an acupuncture treatment every other month," he explained.
Mychajliw says his office will perform a complete audit on the cost of county health insurance, and compare it to private sector insurance plans. Mychajliw says they'll also evaluate the impact of the Affordable Care Act on future county budgets.
Source: YNN2/3/2013 Click here to view the article