Sumner County board approves exceptions for two denied health‑plan waivers and adopts new appeals policy

Sumner County’s Self‑Insurance Board voted Tuesday to approve exceptions for two employees whose HAS waiver requests were previously denied and separately adopted a revised HA exception and appeal policy, following public comment that described missed communications and family deaths.

Judy Jeffers, a nurse with the Portland Health Department, told the board she had been left off an email about a required physical and that her subsequent waiver application was denied. "I was denied by this board. there weren't the nicest things said about my character during the meeting," Jeffers said, adding she had documentation showing she was omitted from the email distribution. Susie Trout, who provided an address in Portland, said her spouse’s waiver was denied after the family experienced multiple deaths in a short period; she urged the board to consider exceptions.

Board members discussed procedural confusion, documentation gaps and timing. Staff explained an upload problem left a required nicotine test result missing from appellant Eric Funk's file and reminded the board that the H period and compliance window run July 1–Sept. 30, with results applied to the following plan year. A commissioner said the notices advising denied employees to "watch the video" of a prior meeting were intended to keep employees informed, while others said the practice felt questionable.

After discussion, a commissioner moved to grant exceptions for the appellants and to ask the law director to provide clearer procedural guidance. The motion was seconded and the board voted in favor; the transcript records the chair saying, "Okay. Three eyes," reflecting three affirmative votes on the approvals.

The board then separated the approvals from formal adoption of the written HA exception and appeal policy attached to the agenda. A motion to adopt the policy was moved, seconded and approved; the chair again recorded "Three eyes." Several commissioners said the revised policy clearly lays out a level‑one and level‑two appeal process that brings unresolved appeals to the Self‑Insurance Board. One commissioner requested the law director bring additional guidance and steps for staff to follow going forward.

The board had no further business and adjourned.

What happened next: Board members asked the law director for written guidance to clarify notice procedures and steps for handling missed documentation and deadline confusion so appeals are handled consistently in the future.