Page I 0 VctJ CCMMt JNnTV h T, "r,, - March 28, 2012
II FireMed
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pie," said Fire Chief Mike Beaver. Anyone
enrolled in FireMed who was transported
would pay nothing for the trip. The depart-
ment would still bill insurance companies,
but whatever the insurance company paid,
the patient had no further obligation. If the
patient had no insurance, the ambulance trip
would be written off completely.
Excess funds raised by the FireMed pro-
gram helped pay for operational costs.
The initial price for FireMed was $35
per year. It only increased once, by $15, Bea-
ver said. "We are losing money on FireMed
now. We're writing off more than we're tak-
ing with FireMed subscriptions."
When the department started the pro-
gram, insurance deductibles were as low as
$25 or $50, said Diane Shank, administra-
tive assistant. Deductibles have grown to
the point that insurance companies are not
• paying at all for ambulance trips, which cost
between $1,000 to $1,200 for a trip to Sa-
maritan Lebanon Community Hospital in
Lebanon, the most common destination.
"We're writing off bills that are too big
too many times," Shank said.
Medicare is "giving us practically noth-
ing," Beaver said.
The write-offs are driving the new plan,
he said.
Under the new arrangement, patients
will pay half of whatever cost is outstand-
ing, Beaver said. The Fire and Ambulance
District will continue to seek payment from
insurance companies. Fire Med subscribers
will pay half of whatever the insurance com-
panies don't cover.
Fire districts around the state have
been having the same problem, and they've
looked at different solutions, Beaver said.
Lebanon Fire District is going to the same
type of plan. Albany is increasing its price,
something Sweet Home looked at.
"With the way the economy is, people
are looking at every option they have to not
lose money on everything," Beaver said.
The department transports about 20 per-
cent of its FireMed subscription holders each
year, Beaver said. The program usually has
between 1,400 and 1,500 members. It will
send out about 1,800 reminders this year.
"We would prefer not to stop the pro-
gram," Beaver said. "But we need to break
even on it. This change is necessary just to
continue our service at the level it is now."
Good-bye
Burlon Miller, left,
congratulates Don-
nie Melson at Mel-
son's retirement par-
ty, held March 26 at
Sweet Home Public
Works. Melson, 65,
retired after serving
36 years in mainte-
nance.
Photo by Bean C.
Morgan
By Dave Bauer
Contest Director
It's week 10 and we are
proud of our contestants who
have dedicated themselves to a '
healthier lifestyle by staying with
the contest and gleaning what
they can from our volunteers
who have graciously given their
time and their knowledge to
help educate and encourage
each week.
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toxins from the body, and has many health
benefits ~ ask me for more information.
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Stop by Our New. Store!
2 doors down to the Fallon Building, 1027 Main Street
1027 MAIN ST. 541-367-6614
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with grilled chicken, olives;sun-dried tomatoes,
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almonds and red o5ion
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These volunteers included
some great speakers during the
past 10 weeks with inspiring and
informational messages and we
want to thank them all.
Those who have taken
advantage of the seminars have
gained some valuable insights
they can use for the rest of their
lives.
This week our guest
speaker was Michael Stoner
of Advanced Family Eye Care
who shared with us important
statistics concerning health risks
and how his own experience
with health issues caused him
to change his perspective and
his lifestyle.
Next week, Dr. Megan
Sturdy will be back with more
detailed information on how
your body processes nutrients
from your food.
Winners this week,
brought you by our great local
businesses, were: Lisa Linville,
who received a $20 gift certificate
to The Point Restaurant; Nancy
Stratman, who won the incentive
prize of $50 gift certificates from
Periwinkle Provisions; and
Sandra Bellew, who won a $5
Subway card.
Thank you to The Point
Restaurant, Periwinkle Provi-
sions and Subway for their
generous donations!
Here are some Lose for Life
journal exerpts:
Gina Swanson
It's been a great week/As
of today, Friday, rm down 38.4
Ibs & I would love to be down
40 Ibs by tomorrow's weigh in.
I've got a date
with Steelhead
tonight ;) I love
my workouts
with Vicki and
Charity and am
really pleased
with my progress
these past 10 weeks. I plan
to continue working towards
my weight loss goals once the
contest is over
Dave: Gina made her goal,
with a total of 40.6 pounds lost
at Saturday's weigh-in! Like
many of the participants who
have stayed with the contest,
she is going to continue her
efforts to finish what she started
and we plan to provide a means
for them to do that.
Loretta Savri
Snow day/Ugh.
Just when I was getting
going on my running. Track is
covered, of course.
This day really threw me
FREE WELLNESS SEMINAR
EACH WEEK
Open to the public
This Saturday:
Dr. Megan Sturdy
Advanced Nutrition
because I kept
waiting for power
to exercise,
hoping for a
shower after By
the time I finally
quit playing
games with the
kids and reassuring them the
TV would be gone for a week if
I heard another complaint about
it... I only fit in two hours of
exercise.
Kept wanting to have hot
chocolate (settled for sugar-
free version) and lots of coffee.
Resisting the snacking or picking
a bite here or there seemed
extremely difficult today.
Must be a flashback to
childhood when the power went
out. Snacks and board games...
I used to love it and wish the
power would never come back
on.
Ahhh! The good old days.
Dave: If the "1 only fit in two
hours of exercise" didn't tip you
off, Loretta is one of our serious
competitors. With an average
of 1.9 percent weight loss each
week, she is a true contender
and one of the few who have
experienced weight loss at
each of the 10 weigh-ins. But is
it enough towin? The next two
weeks will tell!
"Keep up the great work
WOLTHUlS
FAMILY DENTISTRY contestants and finish strong!"
1524 Long Street, Sweet Home
541-367-2931
Like Us on Facebook Ivan H. Wolthuis, DMD, PC I Henry B. Wolthuis, DDS, PC J Kyle W. Dimond, DDS, PC
Contest sponsors: A&W Restaurant; All Star Pizza; Attitudes. Kelli; Bob Richards Auto; CTC; Cut Loose; Economy Drug; Farmers Ins.- Craig Fentiman; Farmers Ins.- Karyn Hartsook; Foster Lake Mall; Green
for All Seasons; K&J Auto; Les Schwab Tire Center; Lilies and Lovelies; LinnCo FCU; Mr. Lucky's Dell; Oh My Massage; Oregon Jamboree; Periwinkle Provisions; Rita's Relics; Santiam Chiropractic; Serena
of Trendsetters; Simply Chiropractic; Skyline Inn Restaurant; Spoleto's Pizzeria; Steelhead Fitness; Steven Hanscam CPA; Subway; Sunshine Espresso; Sweet Home Florist; Sweet Home Inn; Sweet Home RV
Center; Sweet Home Sanitation; Sweet Home Trails- SHEDG; The Coffee Hut; The New Era; The Point Restaurant; Thriftway; Trash to Treasure; Wells Fargo Bank; Wolthuis Family Dentistry.
