.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)Paramedic Heather Proffitt broke down in tears Tuesday night in the Goochland Board Room.

During citizens’ time the Lifeline paramedic told supervisors she found out last week that her health insurance had been canceled.

“A lot of citizens ask me why I stay,” said Profitt. She has worked for Lifeline since July, 2004.

Lucky for her, she was able to transfer to her husband’s policy.

Kristin Hawk was not so fortunate.

“It’s scary,” said Hawk. “I just hope I stay healthy.”

Hawk said Lifeline deducted money from her checks in August to pay for health insurance even after it had ended.

The county contracts with Lifeline to pay salaries and benefits for as many as 10 full-time emergency service workers. There are currently eight Lifeline workers in Goochland.

Altogether, 10 citizens stepped to the mike to complain about Lifeline’s failure to provide health insurance for its Goochland employees, even while withholding premiums for the benefit.
In August Lifeline CEO Jim Jones appeared before the board to explain why Goochland emergency service workers’ paychecks had bounced in July.

Last week a dispatcher at Lifeline headquarters in Christiansburg said Jones was “in the hurricane area” and would not be back for a couple weeks.

Counsel for Lifeline Richard Grier would not comment on the health insurance problem, but confirmed that Jones was out of town.

“FEMA put out a request and Mr. Jones and some of his workers went down to help,” said Grier.

In the afternoon Board session, Fire-EMS Chief Ken Brown told the supervisors that four Lifeline employees with heath insurance through Lifeline had received letters from Southern Health notifying them that their health insurance ended July 31.

Brown said two of the eight Lifeline employees were likely to resign.
Board Chairman William Quarles said after citizens’ time that the board was working on a plan to deal with the Lifeline employees’ problems.

“Give the board an opportunity to have a plan in place,’ said Quarles. “Be a little more patient.”

“I’m sure it’s going to happen in a month or so,” said Supervisor Rudy Butler.