MEETING MINUTES – November 9 , 2005

Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Association held on Wednesday, November 9, 2005 at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Asheville.  Should you have any questions, comments or corrections, please contact Bridget Downey, PHR.

Introductions:

Carolyn Worthington, our chapter president, introduced the chapter officers.  She expressed her appreciation for their assistance in 2005, and applauded the members who have indicated an interest in leadership positions for 2006.

Chapter Business:

Diane Bailey-Brooks and Frank Pomeroy are seeking applications for our chapter’s educational scholarships.  They are $500 each, and are awarded to HR students.  Submissions must be received by December 9 to be considered.  To be eligible, students must submit two letters of reference, one business, and one educational

Frank Pomeroy introduced the vendor for this month, Matthew McQuide, the Vice President of Benefit Controls Companies of Carolina.  They help companies of 50 – 1,000 employees find the best value in employee benefits. They provide claims analysis, employee presentations and cost-saving tips to help business manage their benefits.  Their group can help streamline the often-confusing and complex options businesses face in making decisions about employee healthcare. 

Program:

Three distinguished  speakers visited us to discuss Financing Healthcare in WNC: Joe Damore, Dr. Dale Fell, and Lonnie Younger. 

Joe Damore is the President of Mission Hospitals, Inc, a position he has held since December 2004.  In trying to put the Avian Bird Flu into perspective, he quoted Jay Leno who noted that the bird that causes the most deaths is the fried chicken.  He spoke today out of a fervent belief that we must all work together as a community if we want to solve the problem of healthcare in America.  He brought members copies of his presentation, Mission’s prescription for good health, and a list of helpful web sites.

Some of the interesting demographics Mr. Damore shared with us included some facts about Western North Carolina:

            Our population is aging, with 18% of us over 65 as opposed to 13% in the rest of the Carolinas, and more are moving here all the time

            15% of our population are on Medicaid.

            22% of the 40,000 people in Buncombe County are uninsured.

We don’t always make the healthiest choices.

            25% of us smoke vs. 21% nationwide.

            50% of us are significantly overweight.

            50% of us get no exercise.

In our area, people often wait until disease is very serious before seeking care.

While we are not a high medical cost area, our insurance costs are high.  That combined with the higher costs involved in caring for patients who have left their conditions untreated for far too long makes the total costs difficult to manage.

Dr. Dale Fell is working to improve access to healthcare.  He has worked for the last 2 ½ to 3 years with the Buncombe County Medical Society to find ways to meet the challenges of :

            An underinsured population

            An older population,

            Higher Insurance Costs,

            Decline in Manufacturing Jobs.

Medicare and Medicaid don’t pay the costs of care.  50% of the uninsured are working.

The Chamber Business Roundtable event is one effort to find ways to manage these difficult problems.

Lonnie Younger has been Mission’s Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since January 2000.  He is a member of the Mountain Area Health Education Center's Board of Directors and holds Fellow Status in the Healthcare Financial Management Association.  In short, if there is anyone with the mental ability to understand just how difficult the problem facing citizens looking for affordable health care is, it has to be Lonnie Younger.  For him, the solution clearly lies in locating and utilizing alternative health insurance approaches in Western North Carolina.

Joseph Damore, Dale Fell, MD, and Lonnie Younger would like to see each of us step up and become more involved in finding a workable solution that will provide affordable and adequate access to health care for all our citizens.  Any members interested in becoming part of this solution should contact one of these health care leaders to let them know what you can do to help.

The room was abuzz with ideas.  There seemed to be an outpouring of interest. Our challenge is to take that interest and put it into action.

Announcements: 

The 2006 officers will be announced at the December meeting, to be held at the Grove Park Inn Resort.  Please get your reservations in early, as space is limited.

With no further business, the meeting was adjourned.