NATCHEZ — It all started out as a plan to entice Adams County employees to use the county-owned hospital — then it changed.

Thursday afternoon, Adams County officials and administrators at Natchez Regional Medical Center announced a plan that called for the hospital to no longer charge co-pay and deductible fees to county employees using the county insurance plan.

Adams County Supervisor Mike Lazarus fathered the idea and said it was a great way for county employees to save money and generate additional revenue at Regional.

Lazarus said the idea came to him in March when the county began renegotiation talks with their insurance provider, Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Lazarus said in reviewing records he noticed the majority of the county’s employees went to Natchez Community Hospital, not Regional.

“This is our county’s hospital; we should be giving them our business,” he said.

But on the heels of the county’s announcement, Community CEO Tim Trottier made an announcement of his own.

“Out of fairness to the members of our community, this discount policy put into place at NRMC will be honored for patients at Natchez Community Hospital,” he said.

Trottier said he was unaware Regional’s plans until Friday.

“We want to be fair,” Trottier said.

Prior to Trottier’s announcement, Regional CEO Scott Phillips estimated the move could generate $1 million dollars in additional revenue for Regional.

When the county’s renegotiated insurance contract went into effect in April, co-pays were raised to $30, from $20, and ER visits and hospital stays went from $400 to $500.

Adams County has approximately 345 people on its insurance plan.

Friday evening Lazarus said he hoped the recent announcements made by both hospitals will at least slow the tide of those leaving the community for healthcare.

“Hopefully this can do some good,” he said.