Gerber discusses ACA at Feb. meeting

VW independent/submitted information

PAULDING — The Western Buckeye Educational Service Center Governing Board met last week at the Paulding ESC office, with Superintendent Brian Gerber discussing the future of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and the board approving several personnel items.

Gerber noted that Affordable Care Act penalties could possibly increase since United Healthcare, the nation’s largest health insurer, announced it may pull out of the ACA exchanges after 2016, citing the fact the company is losing millions of dollars through the federal insurance program.

The WBESC superintendent also noted that it’s difficult to predict the future of the ACA while in the midst of a presidential campaign, noting that a Democratic president would likely keep the program, while it remains difficult to know whether a Republican administration would repeal or replace the insurance program.

“Either way, Western Buckeye ESC will be compliant with the law as we approach the 2016-17 school year,” Gerber told the board. “Obamacare has been morphing since its inception and it may just possibly crumble under its own weight over time.”

In personnel actions, the board accepted the resignation of Jenny Myers, effective January 28, and that of Rebecca Matthews, effective February 24, and approved employing Melinda Walter as a paraprofessional at Antwerp for the current school year.

The board also approved NEOLA policy recommendations for the current year.

The March meeting of the WBESC Governing Board will take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 16, at the Van Wert ESC office.