Local Chamber News
Chamber Announces Health Initiatives Committee
Ft. Mitchell, KY -
The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce is taking a healthy approach towards encouraging a healthy community, healthy citizens and healthy businesses with its recently formed Health Initiatives Council, announced today. The purpose of the group is to address escalating health care costs and concerns as expressed by Chamber members and businesses. Member employers report their health insurance premiums increased at more than 10% this year on average. The average increase is especially high for smaller employers who constitute the majority of the Chambers members and 2007 marked the eighth year in a row that small employers experienced double-digit increases in their health insurance premiums.
“This model for this council is unique to the Northern Kentucky area and could be used in other communities in the country that are facing the same problem,” explained Rick Robinson, Northern Kentucky Chamber Board Chairman. “Healthcare costs are major bottom line expenditure for businesses and households alike. We want to do all we can to help lower these costs and help our growing community.”
Brenda Gosney, CEO, Healthsouth Northern Kentucky Rehabilitation Hospital, Edgwood, is the Vice Chair of Health Initiatives Council. The Council, supported by the Chamber, will focus on four key areas: community-based health care, benefits, healthy lifestyles and Northern Kentucky’s future healthcare workforce.
“The chamber is taking an innovative leadership role on this issue and hopes this council will encourage members to see healthcare as a business issue beyond providing basic health/dental coverage,” Gosney said.
The council is split into four sub-committees.
- The Community-Based Health Care Committee, chaired by Kirk Kavanaugh, Boone County Human Services Director, will research best practices and innovative programs in other communities for evaluation and possible introduction into the Northern Kentucky region. The group will analyze the state of health in the community in conjunction with Vision 2015 and represent the Chamber on various health care commissions and boards.
- The Benefits Committee, chaired by Eva Ballard, President of Ballard Benefits Group, will determine chamber support for and a potential product offering for a Defined Health Care Benefit Plan. The objective for this committee is to continue to help members lower their bottom line health insurance costs and assist associates who are currently not offered health insurance through chamber member employers.
- The Healthy Lifestyles Committee, chaired by Mary Lynn Brunemann, St. Elizabeth Business Health Services, will focus on educating Chamber members about the value of wellness in the workplace through events and resource materials. The Chamber will work with community organizations to develop and launch a Healthy Northern Kentucky campaign.
- The Northern Kentucky’s Future Health Care Workforce, chaired by Dr. Sanjay Patel, Cardiology Associates, will work with physician groups, hospitals and long-term care facilities to create materials targeted at youth and career-minded students, in conjunction with area post-secondary education institutions, to promote careers in health care professions.
The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors established a Health Care Advisory Committee in response to acknowledging health care issues as a key priority in its Strategic Plan. The Health Care Advisory Committee is comprised of health care practitioners, chamber board members, business owners and human resource practitioners from varying industry sizes and types.
The Health Initiatives Council will begin planning activities shortly after the New Year. Updates and more information about the council are available on the Chamber’s website, www.nkychamber.com. Volunteers are welcome.
Source: Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
Publication Date: January 3, 2008