A proposed health and wellness incentive program that would have offered county employees $25 discounts on their premiums was deferred to the next meeting in a 2-1 vote at the Board of Commissioners meeting today.

The program currently sees participation from about 150 county employees, or about 22 percent. However, strictly voluntary participation can make for self selection bias, said Health and Wellness Program Coordinator Ryan Pye.

"You're going to get the people who are interested in health and wellness to show up, which is great, but they're probably already healthy. We're missing the population you want to hit," said Pye.

By providing an incentive, studies have shown participation can reach 80 or 90 percent, he said.

The cost to the county would be about $202,500 a year if all 675 of the county employees who are eligible participate and receive $25 off their monthly premiums.

Deputy Human Resources Director Doris Patterson said they anticipate about 50 percent participation, which would be a cost of $101,250 a year.

The first year of participation would involve a health screening. Goals to move towards for better health would be put in place in following years, said Pye.

Commissioner JaNice Van Ness expressed concern on the effect the wellness program might have on health insurance company bids. "I don't want our health insurance bids to be conditioned on wellness. We're fortunate we have the contracted this year. I'll be surprised if our increased premiums 20 percent or more next year." Finding the best offer was her first priority, she said, and a wellness program was secondary to that.

Patterson said, "They'd be that high with or without the wellness component... (The health and wellness program) puts the county in a position to decrease claims costs on the back end, which is a larger cost to the county than the initial outlay for the program."

Commissioner Oz Nesbitt said before the vote, "The fact we've deferred this at this time does not mean this is over at this point. The Board of Commissioners is simply processing our thoughts and trying to determine which direction we want to go in."

Chairman Richard Oden voted against while Nesbitt and Van Ness voted for deferring the matter until the Sept. 10 meeting.

Oden said "I think there's some political posturing going on here."

"We're talking about a wellness program that will reduce cost on the premiums on the back end. It has nothing to do with enrollments. It's two different complete subject matters."

In other Board of Commissioners business:

Arthur Blankenship was appointed unanimously to the Water and Sewer Authority. Oden said he and Rockdale Water Resources Director Dwight Wicks had a chance to interview Blankenship. "We have a lot in common," Oden said of Blankenship. "He has some experience. He understands the process. He understands the role of this Authority."

The position, which was vacated when member Garvin Haynes resigned in December 2012, has an unexpired term that ends in December.