Proposal would provide air ambulance coverage for Rocky Top employees
Rocky Top city employees might soon get air ambulance service memberships as a new employment benefit, under a proposal by City Manager Michael Ellis.
Last Thursday night (July 20), the City Council discussed, but then tabled until its August meeting, a plan that would provide each employee with a three-year AirMedCare family membership, at $195 for each worker, that would cover any needed emergency air ambulance service.
Ellis said that providing the benefit would cost the city about $5,500 every three years.
The benefit is important because of the often extreme expense of air ambulance service, Ellis said.
Police Chief Jim Shetterly said he recently faced a $60,000 bill for a relatively short air ambulance ride for a sick family member, with health insurance covering only a small portion of the charge.
The council appeared to be ready to approve the benefit with a limitation that to qualify, the worker must have been employed by the city for at least a year.
That limitation was suggested by Mayor Kerry Templin because a membership would remain in effect for the three-year period even if the person left the city’s employ before the time was up.
But Councilman Zack Green said he felt that perhaps the air ambulance benefit should take effect after the first 90 days of employment, as other city worker benefits do – including health insurance.
He suggested tabling the proposal until the next meeting for further study.