Price increase ahead for popular nail care service

The cost of a popular public health service program will soon be going up.

In the face of rising costs, the Taylor County Health Department will be increasing the cost of toenail care visits from $20 to $35 per visit beginning on July 1. In addition the department will be charging mileage for home toenail care visits for $5 for within 10 miles of Medford and $10 for more than 10 miles away from the courthouse.

County Health director Michelle Cahoon said nurses with the department will do home visits for county residents who are homebound. Otherwise people of any age may make an appointment at the health department in the courthouse or by making appointments for nail care clinics held at the Medford, Rib Lake, Gilman and Jump River senior nutrition sites.

According to Cahoon, Taylor County is the only county in the region that still provides this service. Two registered nurses in the department do the nail care which includes performing basic health checks on the client’s feet.

For those living with diabetes and other conditions, adequate toenail care is a major preventative measure for infections which can lead to amputations or other life-threatening conditions.

Each nail care visit takes between 45 minutes and an hour depending on their condition, with nail care visits recommended for about every eight weeks. “It is important to keep on schedule,” she said.

Cahoon noted that in addition to the nurses trimming the nails they can check for things like loss of sensation or function which could lead the clients to need to seek additional medical assistance. “They do form a bond with the nurses,” she said of the clients.

According to Cahoon, the service is very popular with 533 nail care visits conducted between two nurses in the department last year. She explained that the fee increase is intended to help offset some of the county cost and allow the department to continue to provide this service.

If it was not provided by the county, clients would need to see podiatrists or other medical providers at a much higher cost in order to get this needed service done.

“We have done 102-year-olds and 40year-olds,” Cahoon said, noting people come from surrounding counties for toenail care. She said proper nail care is important to help maintain independence and to keep them safe.

“There is nobody making money on this, we are just trying to sustain the program,” Cahoon said of the need for the increase.

She noted that they have been able to upgrade the chairs used for the service and purchase new nail drills which are used to grind down the nails.

In addition to cash, check and credit card, the health department can also accept gift certificates for nail care services which are available for purchase through the Aging and Disabilities Resources Center of Taylor County and which make good gifts.

In addition to the nail care services, the health department offers the following services: Ear flushes - $40; radon test kits $20 for short term and $25 for long term; water testing $40 for either the bacteria/ E. Coli or Nitrate or a combined test for $60. Immunizations, blood pressure check, hearing/vision screening, and ear check are also available.

The health department also can connect residents with the Wisconsin Well Testing Access Program (WellTAP) which provides free water testing to qualifying county residents.

The Taylor County Health Department is located on the ground floor of the courthouse and their number is 715-748-1410.