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Home My WebLink About04-02-2001 City of Auburn Law Enforcement Officers and Firefighters Disability Board Monday, April 2, 2001 - 10:00 AM - Conference Room I MINUTES I. CALL TO ORDER Chair Jim Kelly called the meeting to order at 10:00 AM in Conference Room 1 located at Auburn City Hall, 25 West Main Street, Auburn, WA. Members present included Chair Kelly, Chair Pro Tem Bud Larson, Member Stacey Brothers, and Member Russ Vandver. Member Jeanne Barber was excused. Others present included Mayor Charles A. Booth, Personnel Director Brenda Heineman, and Board Secretary Danielle Daskam. II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. Minutes of the March 5, 2001 LEOFF Board Meeting Motion by Member Larson, second by Member Brothers to approve the March 5, 2001 LEOFF Board minutes as distributed. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 4-0. III. UNFINISHED BUSINESS A. Pending Disability Leave/Retirement Applications There was no pending disability leave/retirement application. B. Claims 1. Richard Huseby On December 4, 2000, the LEOFF Board tabled Mr. Huseby's claim pending the receipt of additional information documenting the medical necessity of the medical services received. On December 18, 2000, Mr. Huseby submitted a letter from Dr. David Wukasch regarding Mr. Huseby's medical condition. On January 2, 2001, the LEOFF Board tabled Mr. Huseby's claim and requested that he resubmit his claim to Regence with the additional information provided by his physician. The Board tabled Mr. Huseby's claim on February 5 and March 5, 2001. No new information was received. a. Regence Explanation of Benefits Claim No. 002'.9810230900 processed on October 24, 2000 and Medicare Explanation LEOFF Board Minutes April 2, 2001 Page 1 City of Auburn Law Enforcement Officers and Firefighters Disability Board Monday, April 2, 2001 - 10:00 AM - Conference Room I of Benefits Statement dated August 4, 2000 for medical services received on May 16, 2000 in the amount of $210.00. Motion by Member Larson, second by Member Brothers to table Mr. Huseby's claim for an additional month. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 4-0. 2. Hans Hansen On January 2, February 5 and March 5, 2001, the LEOFF Board tabled the following claim pending the receipt of the Regence Explanation of Benefits Statement. No new information was received. a. Medicare Claim Number 531147586A pn~cessed on September 16, 2000 for medical services received July 15 through July 22, 2000 in the amount of $776.00. Motion by Member Brothers, second by Member Larson to remove Mr. Hansen's claim from the table and return the clairn pending the receipt of additional information. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 4-0. IV. NEW BUSINESS A. Disability Leave/Retirement Applications 1. Harold F. Philbin Effective date of disability leave: March 31, 2001 On March 22, 2001, LEOFF Board Chair Jim Kelly tentatively approved an Application for Disability Leave or Retirement from Harold F. Philbin effective March 31, 2001. Mr. Philbin's application includes physician reports from Samuel Strauss, MD dated February 15, 2001 and Ronald B. Kuppersmitlh, MD dated February 26, 2001. Chair Kelly noted that on March 22, 2001 he tentatiw,=ly approved Mr. Philbin for disability leave effective March 31, 2001. Mr. LEOFF Board Minutes April 2, 2001 Page 2 City of Auburn Law Enforcement Officers and Firefighters Disability Board Monday, April 2, 2001 - 10:00 AM - Conference Room 1 Philbin's Application for Disability Leave/Retirement is before the Board today for review. Member Vandver briefly ,'spoke of his knowledge regarding Mr. Philbin's condition. Mr. Philbin has been working with a hearing loss in one ear, and a recent hearing test revealed that he has a hearing loss in his other ear. Subsequently, the City required a fitness for duty examination, which confirmed that Mr. Philbin has a hearing loss in both ears. Personnel Director Heineman reported that although Mr. Philbin uses a hearing aid, there is no technology available which can correct his hearing loss enough to allow Mr. Philbin to distinguish multiple transmissions. Chair Kelly questioned the need to place Mr. Philbin on six months disability leave rather than proceeding to disability retirement. Personnel Director Heineman reported that according to the City's doctor, Mr. Philbin is not capable of working as a fire captain. Motion by Member Larson, second by Member Brothers to approve disability leave for Mr. Philbin effective April 1, 2001 with last day of service on March 31, 2001. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 4-0. B. Appeals 1. Bruce Caldwell On March 22, 2001, Mr. Caldwell filed a request for reconsideration of the March 2, 2001 rejection of pharmacy expenses in the amount of $262.99 because the dates processed fell outside the ninety (90) day limitation for filing claims. Board members reviewed Mr. Caldwell's request for reconsideration. Motion by Member Vandver, second by Member Brothers to deny Mr. Caldwell's request for reconsideration of pharmacy claims. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 4-0. C. Medical Claims 1. Clifford Phillips LEOFF Board Minutes April 2, 2001 Page 3 City of Auburn Law Enforcement Officers and Firefighters Disability Board Monday, April 2, 2001 - 10:00 AM - Conference Room 1 a. Request for authorization to purchase hearing aids, from other than the Board designated hearing aid provider, in the amount of $4,200.00 Board members reviewed Mr. Phillip's request for pre-authorization to purchase hearing aids in the amount of $4,200. The Board reviewed the letter received from the Eye and Ear Clinic of Wenatchee. Committee members also reviewed the Board's hearing aid policy which provides that for those members who choose not to use the Board's hearing aid provider or lives outside the service area is subject to review by the designated hearing aid provider and will be limited to reimbursement up to what the designated hearing aid provider would charge. Motion by Member Brothers, second by Member Larson to table Mr. Phillips' claim pending information from Costco as to their charge for equivalent hearing aids. Chair Kelly agreed to research the nearest Costco hearing aid provider location to Mr. Phillips residence. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 4-0. 2. Murray Board a. Regence Explanation of Benefits Statement No. 0102210070300 processed on Februa~ 21, 2001, for servicesreceived on September 12, 2000, in the amount of $143.00. Board members reviewed the Regence Explanation of Benefits statement and invoice received from Mr. Board four ambulance services. Board members indicated clarification was needed from Regence regarding their Explanation of Benefits Staternent. Motion by Member Brothers, second by Member Larson to table Mr. Board's claim pending receipt of additional information regarding the Explanation of Benefits Statement and the benefit level. LEOFF Board Minutes April 2, 2001 Page 4 City of Auburn Law Enforcement Officers and Firefighters Disability Board Monday, April 2, 2001 - 10:00 AM - Conference Room 1 The LEOFF Board Secretary will correspond with the Association of Washington Trust to clarify the Statement of Benefits. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 4-0. 3. Ed Henderson a. Request for reimbursement of blood bank charges on September 29 and October 6, 2000 in the amount of $50.00. b. Request for reimbursement of vision exam co-pay in the amount of $10.00. Board members reviewed Mr. Henderson's claim for reimbursement of vision and blood bank charges. Chair Kelly noted that the claim for blood bank charges was not accompanied by a Regence Explanation of Benefits Statement. Motion by Member Larson, second by Member Brothers to approve reimbursement of the $10.00 co-pay for Mr. Henderson's vision exam and table Mr. Henderson's claim for reimbursement of blood bank charges in the amount of $50.00 pending receipt of a Regence Explanation of Benefits Statement. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 4-0. D. Correspondence 1. Annual Washington LEOFF Education Association Conference Chair Kelly announced the annual LEOFF Education Association Conference will be held May 8-10, 2001 in Port Angeles, Washington. Chair Kelly, Chair Pro-tem Larson and Member Vandver will be attending the conference. LEOFF Board Minutes April 2, 2001 Page 5 City of Auburn Law Enforcement Officers and Firefighters Disability Board Monday, April 2, 2001 - 10:00 AM - Conference Room I V. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting adjourned at 10:40 AM. APPROVED THE/7~J/~DAY OF MAY, 2001. ' Jim Kelly, Chairperso~ Danielle Daskam, Secretary LEOFF Board Minutes Apdl 2, 2001 Page 6