City of Vicksburg employees could soon be going to a city-operated clinic for illnesses and injuries.

Mayor George Flaggs Jr. Monday appointed a committee of City Attorney Nancy Thomas, Human Resources director Walterine Langford, City Accounting Director Doug Whittington, City Clerk Walter Osborne and employee benefits specialist Pam Flagg to examine the feasibility of developing an on-site employee medical clinic for employees and their families. The committee is expected to give a report on its findings May 30.

The city has a self-insured health insurance program, which Flaggs said could benefit by having an in-house clinic serving employees and their families. His appointment of the committee came after he received a proposal from Medical Analysis, a Biloxi-based company that works with corporations and cities to provide more affordable health care for their employees.

“The thing that got me was the medical savings,” he said. Using a figure of a 25 percent savings, an assessment of the city’s medical expenses by Medical Analysis indicated the city could save a net $364,000 a year in medical costs going to an on-site clinic.

“That really got my attention,” Flaggs said.

He said he was interested in the plan’s possibilities for the city, adding, “The concept, to me, makes sense when you can allow only your employees to participate,” but said he will not present it the Board of Mayor and Aldermen until the committee has assessed it.

“I have no intention of presenting anything until it’s been vetted by this committee,” he said. “We want to make certain.”

He said the proposal left several questions unanswered such as the cost of a building to put the clinic and any transition costs the city may have to pay.

One benefit of the program, he said, is employees will not have to take time off to get medical assistance because the clinic will be nearby, and the employees and families would not have to pay a co-pay to use the clinic. The clinic would be open five days a week for eight hours a day.

“It’s convenience,” he said. “The employee could stop at the clinic on the way to work if they’re not feeling well. Anybody (affiliated) with the city could go there.”