HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/24/2021 - Minutes
CITY OF RENTON
LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS & FIREFIGHTERS DISABILITY BOARD
REGULAR MEETING
MINUTES
August 24, 2021 – 9:00 a.m.
Video Conference (Zoom meeting)
Attendees: James Matthew, Jim Phelan, Valerie O’Halloran, Ed Prince, Wendy
Rittereiser, and Erika Eddins
CALL TO ORDER
Jim Phelan called the meeting to order at 9:04 a.m.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Valerie O’Halloran moved to approve the May 25, 2021, meeting minutes and
Jim Matthew seconded. Motion carried.
June 22, 2021 – Meeting Cancelled
July 27, 2021 – Meeting Cancelled
OLD BUSINESS
Hearing Aid Benefit Design – Through the City’s insurance broker, staff gathered
further information on other LEOFF 1 Retiree hearing aid benefits for the Board
to review in terms of hearing aid replacement frequency. Wendy Rittereiser
explained that today’s hearing aids are fragile with advanced electronics and
since they are usually worn 12 to 16 hours per day, they tend to wear out sooner
than five years, which is the current insurance plan replacement frequency. In
addition to information on other LEOFF 1 hearing aid benefits, the insurance
broker also provided hearing aid benefit information on active employee plans.
The most common replacement frequency was found to be every three years.
Staff recommends to the LEOFF Board to allow hearing aid replacement every
three years. In addition, staff is going to make the same recommendation to the
City’s active health plan employee leadership at their meeting on September 7,
2021. The current active plan allows replacement every four years.
After discussion, this topic will be reviewed again at the next Board meeting
after active members hold their vote.
NEW BUSINESS
#8323 – Pending transition from current in-home care to skilled nursing home –
The Board discussed a request for skilled nursing services as the member is in
need of a higher level of care. The member’s family is in process of looking for a
skilled nursing facility and is requesting approval for nursing home services when
a facility is found.
Valerie O’Halloran moved, and Jim Matthew seconded, to approve the request
for nursing home services pending staff review of the documents supporting
medical necessity and related cost estimate. Motion carried.
LEOFF Board
Jim Phelan
Member at Large
(Chair)
Ed Prince
Council Member
Valerie O’Halloran
Council Member
James Matthew
Fire and Emergency
Services
Russ Olson
Police
Page 2
LEOFF – Disability Board
Regular Meeting Minutes
August 24, 2021
#7408 – Request for increase in-home health care hours (received morning of
8/24/21 LEOFF Board meeting) - This request is for an increase in the hours
provided for in-home care due to a recent surgery and complications from the
surgery. The Board approved long term home health care services for this
member on February 3, 2021.
Jim Matthew moved, and Valerie O’Halloran seconded, to approve the increase
in hours pending the member submitting cost information and staff review of
the costs. Motion carried
COMMENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
None
ADJOURNMENT
Jim Matthew moved, and Valerie O’Halloran seconded to adjourn. Motion
carried. Jim Phelan closed the meeting at 09:31 a.m.
September 28, 2021