UPDATE: Former Wood-Mode employees tell Newswatch 16 they received word late Friday afternoon that their health and welfare benefits have been canceled.
KREAMER, Pa. -- It's been four days since hundreds of people were laid off by Snyder County's biggest employer.
Former Wood-Mode employees are thinking about what is next, especially when it comes to jobs and health insurance.
Wood-Mode's health insurance is through the Geisinger Health Plan. The layoffs not only affect more than 900 employees but also leaves their families wondering what will happen to their health insurance. Geisinger is hoping to help answer those questions.
Four generations of Don Yerger's family worked at Wood-Mode in Kreamer. Yerger worked at the cabinet manufacturer for 44 years.
"Pretty much everybody in this area worked at Wood-Mode. They were family."
Yerger is one of more than 900 people who found themselves without a job on Monday when Wood-Mode went out of business. The sudden closure leaves a lot of people trying to figure out what comes next.
The community has stepped in to help.
"From the small businesses offering jobs to the food banks, anything that they can do," said Yerger.
Geisinger is also trying to help. the majority of the employees at Wood-Mode, and their families have Geisinger Health Plan insurance. They still have their insurance but are not sure for how long.
"Under the assumption that at some point in the future, there may be the elimination of that coverage, we are providing solutions to those individual members," said Kurt Wrobel, Geisinger Health Plan's chief financial officer.
Starting Monday, Geisinger customer care specialists will be at the Susquehanna Valley Mall six days a week.
"We're going to have representatives at tables providing and answering questions regarding their health care benefits and their options in the future," said Wrobel.
A human resource team will also be there to discuss job opportunities at Geisinger.
"With these people losing their jobs, we want to provide them with a wide range of opportunities," Wrobel added.
Geisinger employees will be set up at Community Zone 2, formerly Schuylkill Valley Sports, at the Susquehanna Valley Mall starting Monday.
There is also a number that former Wood-Mode employees can call to ask about their Geisinger Health Plan Insurance: 800-293-7162.