Cities of Cocoa Beach, Rockledge, Satellite Beach Join With Cocoa To Share Employee Health Center Services
By Space Coast Daily // December 12, 2016
new Satellite Beach location opening early 2017
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – The cities of Cocoa, Cocoa Beach, Rockledge and Satellite Beach have approved an interlocal agreement whereby each City will share Employee Health Center services between the Center located in Cocoa and a new location opening early in 2017 in Satellite Beach.
“Cocoa’s Employee Health Center, originally opened in September 2014 as a way to promote the well-being and health of city retirees, employees and their dependents while reducing costs to the city in the long term.
This interlocal agreement represents a good example of intergovernmental cooperation at the local level and we are excited at the opportunities it will bring our employees and the employees of our sister municipalities,” said Cocoa City Manager, John Titkanich, Jr.
“The City of Satellite Beach is excited to be part of this creative partnership designed to take control of the skyrocketing costs of employee healthcare,” said Satellite Beach City Manager, Courtney Barker.
Cocoa City Council originally approved an agreement with CareATC to administer the Employee Health Center back in September 2014.
The purpose of the health center is to provide quality affordable healthcare to our employees, retirees and their dependents while reducing the cost to tax payers over time. The center currently operates twenty-four (24) hours per week and since opening, utilization has steadily increased and has been received as a positive benefit for employees.
The only improvement recommendation received from employees was to increase the operating hours.
“We are pleased to join our fellow municipalities in an enterprise that has the potential to save tax payer dollars and increase employee wellness,” said Charles Holland, Acting Cocoa Beach City Manager.
“Now with the facility partnership agreement in place, the goal is to increase the operating hours to the Cocoa location and have the additional location in Satellite Beach that would benefit all eligible employees who may live beachside,” said Tammy Gemmati, Administrative Services Director for the City of Cocoa.
The interlocal agreement includes cost sharing and allocation of expenses for the two locations based on each municipalities employee head count. The term of the agreement is through September 30, 2017 with automatic renewals on an annual basis with mutual agreement between the parties.
“The City of Rockledge is pleased to join the employee health clinic partnership, and look forward to seeing it benefit our employees as well as continuing to address the containment of health care costs,” said Rockledge City Manager, Jim McKnight.
For more information, please contact Samantha Senger, Public Relations Specialist at 321- 433-8685 or ssenger@cocoafl.org
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