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Commissioners reject Obamacare kiosk at DSS

Sharon Tirrell, right, and Penny Summey asked the Board of Commissioners to authorize a kiosk for Affordable Care Act information at the DSS.

The Henderson County Board of Commissioners rejected a request by the county's Department of Social Services to allow the marketing of the Afford Care Act at the county's Human Services Building, saying the practice would violate a county policy against commercial sales on county property.


DSS chair Sharon Tirrell and board member Penny Summey asked commissioners to authorize the kiosk that eligible county residents could use to hear about the insurance coverage and get help navigating the options and signing up. At no charge to the county, Blue Cross Blue Shield would staff the kiosk. Blue Cross and United Health Care are qualified to sell policies through the Affordable Care Act, the DSS board member said, but only Blue Cross is currently offering the plans.
"I think we need to look at the liability of Henderson County," said Commissioner Tommy Thompson. "We definitely need to be released from liability. Henderson County should not be involved in any type of liability whatsoever. As a group I remember we wrote a letter and said we need to take Obamacare and throw it out the window to begin with so philosophically we're against the whole process."
So much against it, it turned out, that the commissioners unanimoulsy rejected the proposal.

Commissioner Michael Edney compared the kiosk to a hunter using a baited field to attract deer.
"It puts us in the position of picking a special interest who can get a lot of customers really quick at no cost," he said. "I think there are some issues of concern we need to look at."
County Manager Steve Wyatt reminded the board that a commercial use would violate county policy against private sales on public property.
"The board has traditionally not entertained requests for commercial use of publicly funded county government facilities," he said. "Had this not been a request from the board of DSS I would not have placed it on the agenda. Had it been a private entity it would be clear that the facility use policy does not allow that."
Tirrell said after the board's decision that the Blue Ridge Community Health Services is also considering a kiosk.
"We're hoping for a more central place where people cold get help," she said. "We hate to see people penalized but more than that we hate to see people go without health care coverage."
The DSS board members said they understood that the commissioners' decision.
"They have a policy," Tirrell said. "We understand that and we accept that."