Colquitt County hopes that combining forces on a health clinic with the City of Moultrie will lead to savings and help employees both stay healthy and avoid expensive hospital visits.

The jointly funded health clinic for employees and dependents is the first project the two governments have embarked upon since holding a meeting in October to discuss potential areas of cooperation.

After the startup expenses of the first year, estimates put potential savings for the county at as much as $400,000.

County Administrator Mike Stewart is going with a more conservative number of about $200,000 in annual savings.

The smaller number represents about 1 percent of the county’s $20 million budget, but there are other reasons than money alone.

“We’re doing everything we can do to keep down our cost of insurance, so we don’t have to ask the employees for more money, we don’t have to ask the taxpayers for more money and not cut the services for employees,” Stewart said.

The clinic also will be convenient for employees; it’s expected to see three to four patients per hour.

The clinic is being moved to the bottom floor of the former Colquitt Hotel. That downtown location is close to the county courthouse and courthouse annex, Moultrie City Hall and the police department.

Only employees who participate in the county’s insurance program and dependents are eligible to use it, so retired employees covered by Medicare or employees who are on a spouse’s plans cannot use the facility.

Colquitt County Commission had made other cost-cutting measures on health insurance including a change in employee premiums that will raise the amount employees pay for plans with lower deductibles. Those who keep higher-deductible plans will pay about the same as before.

The county also stopped covering employees’ spouses who are eligible for coverage through their jobs.

The county also has initiated a wellness program that rewards those who are nonsmokers and have healthy blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels with lower premiums.

The county’s costs under the contract that takes effect Jan. 1 are $20 per each employee enrolled in its health plan per month — about $3,800 for the current 190 or so people who qualify — plus a monthly staffing fee of $8,927. The governments also are responsible for medical staff expenses, medical supplies, lab charges, pharmaceuticals, biohazard removal, equipment, office supplies and other items used to provide services.

The governments also will provide office and medical space, maintenance and housekeeping, utilities, phone service and phones, internet connection and office and waiting room furnishings.

A physician or physician “extender” such as a nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant will spend 12 hours at the clinic each week, with a nurse at the facility for 20 hours.

Stewart expects no savings in the first year of operation due to the upfront costs of purchasing equipment.