Wellness center review on Committee of the Whole agenda
Thursday’s Committee of the Whole meeting will serve as a catch-up meeting for the Cape Coral City Council, where the board members can get together and discuss important topics without a vote.
The council will get a presentation from the Gehring Group on the city’s employee health center and the analysis on the return on investment.
In March 2020, the city opened the Employee Health & Wellness Center to all employees, retirees, dependents and spouses enrolled in the city’s health insurance plan with Florida Blue.
The goal of the center is to shift select medical services away from the health insurance plan into the lower cost model of the center to mitigate medical inflation.
After a slow start, the center has seen impressive gains in patients, city officials said. During the first year (April 2020 to March 2021) there were 812 appointments per month. The second year, that number increased to 1,079 appointments per month.
Medical appointments increased 14 percent, ancillary appointments increased 23 percent, total appointments increased 33 percent and occupational appointments increased 201 percent with the integration of the fire department.
In 2021-22, 94 percent of appointments were filled, up from 75 percent in the first year, which was tamped down by the slow rollout in the spring and early summer. Target capacity is 85 percent.
The bottom line: the center has been a winner. Savings since its opening has been between $1 million and $1,4 million, depending on the method being used.
With the center at or near capacity, utilization is leveling off (utilization was at 98 and 99 percent in February and March) while appointment wait times is 14 days, where the target is seven, which may be why emergency room and urgent care usage has increased.
The council will also discuss the reinstatement of payment in lieu of parking (PILOP) program in part of the downtown.
This voluntary program will allow developers to pay a fee for each parking space below the minimum that cannot be provided as required as part of the development. The project is proposed for the “core” area of the CRA.
The PILOP Program existed previously in the former Land Use and Development Regulations in the SC District regulations.
The city Planning Division recommends council authorize staff to prepare an amendment to the Land Development Code.
City Council will also discuss revisions in the city’s financial management policies. The discussion was continued from the last COW meeting last week.
There will also be an update on General Election voting in the city.
COW meetings are held in council chambers at City Hall, which is located at
1015 Cultural Park Blvd.
To reach CHUCK BALLARO, please email news@breezenewspapers.com