School districts like Hendry County are opening dedicated employee health clinics to help lower surging health care costs, curb absenteeism and improve teacher recruitment and retention.

The idea is to save money for both the district and the employees.

Districts with clinics can bypass traditional commercial insurance mark-ups and negotiate lower pay-outs to the clinic provider. The employees in turn save money by no longer shouldering medical deductibles among other perks if they chose to use the clinic for basic medical care rather than an outside provider.

Hendry Regional Hospital was chosen by the school board recently to serve as the clinic’s medical provider.

Existing buildings in Clewiston and LaBelle will be used.

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