NATCHEZ — The Adams County Board of Supervisors met twice this week in executive session to discuss hiring a nurse practitioner to treat county employees as a way to lower the county’s health insurance costs.

On Monday, the supervisors interviewed two candidates for approximately an hour and Wednesday the board discussed the two candidates for approximately 20 minutes, but did not take any action after going back into open session.

Board Attorney Scott Slover said he would not release the names of the candidates because it could impact their current employment.

Board President Mike Lazarus said supervisors would meet Sept. 26 at 9 a.m. He said he hoped they would be able to finalize the hire following the meeting.

The county pays approximately $115,000 annually for contracted nurse practitioners to visit the county jail and juvenile justice facilities.

Supervisors began discussing in July the possibility of hiring a nurse practitioner to work for the county full time.

Officials argue having a nurse practitioner on the county’s payroll could save money if the person hired could cover the existing jail and juvenile justice center needs and also have set hours where county employees could access medical services.

If county employees could visit the nurse practitioner, the personnel could use an in-house service instead of visiting other physicians, which would save the county money since the county self-insures its employee health care coverage.

Lazarus said if the county could hire the nurse practitioner at roughly the same cost as the board is paying now, then the insurance savings would make the hire worthwhile.

“Everything we do, we try to save money for the county,” Lazarus said. “I really do think this is something that can save us money.

“Blue Cross/Blue Shield is willing to come down and help implement a program for employees, so we are trying something new.”