A group of Goochland County emergency services workers paid by a private contractor had their health insurance terminated without warning effective July 31.

All four of the eight EMS workers who get health benefits through Lifeline Ambulance Service received notice last week that they were no longer covered, Ken Brown, chief of Goochland County Volunteer Fire-Rescue told the county Board of Supervisors today.

In July, the employees had their paychecks bounce. Jim Jones, president and CEO of the Christiansburg-based company, appeared before the board last month to explain that that the company had lost its Medicare reimbursement due to a computer glitch with the federal insurer. Jones assured supervisors that the paycheck matter had been resolved. He could not be reached yesterday.

Brown also told supervisors at their regular meeting today that Lifeline workers had been underpaid since Jones last addressed them.

-- Calvin R. Trice