[Peace] Champaign County board discussion / Nursing Home, to privatize or not to privatize / Tues, Aug 7th 6pm

[Karen Medina]

[I am forwarding this from Danielle Chynoweth. The event is a
Champaign County Board Meeting and a discussion about the nursing
home. -karen medina]


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Danielle Chynoweth <danielle at prometheusradio.org>

On Tuesday, August 7, 2012 at 6pm, the Champaign County Board will
consider a hurried proposal to place two questions on November's
ballot.  The first asks for a tax increase.  The second for the
authority to close, lease, or sell the nursing home.

These resolutions amount to a kind of "voter extortion" that sounds
like this: Let us increase your taxes by 333% or we'll privatize the
nursing home. This is a false threat. The nursing home ran a profit
last year and has not needed to borrow funds for four years.  Since
voters will be loath to such a substantial tax increase during a
recession, they will be more likely to authorize a sale.

Privatization would mean fewer poor residents served and lower wages
for employees. The county takes more patients paying with Medicaid
than the private sector. The county pays a living wage to all
employees, but the private sector does not.

Come support the nursing home and its employees:
Tuesday, August 7th at 6pm
County Board Committee of the Whole Meeting
1776 E. Washington, St., Urbana (park off of Lierman Ave - back of the building)
Note: If it passes on Tuesday, the final vote will be at a special
meeting Tues, Aug 14th.

Background:

Voters May be Asked to Decide Nursing Home's Future (News Gazette, July 6, 2012)
Nursing Home Board Opposes Ballot Questions (News Gazette, July 9, 2012)
Nursing Home Board response (see last link in PDF)

Financial Facts from the Nursing Home managers report):

Cash is healthy: If the Nursing Home paid all its bills and collected
everything owed, it would have 3.228 million in the bank.
Revenues have been steadily increasing for the past 12 months.
Medicaid payments have been on a steady 2-3 delay cycle, so although
there is a wait, the state is coming through on payments regularly
The biggest financial challenges are recruiting more patients and
ensuring there is a good mix of patients paying with Medicare,
Medicaid, and private insurance.

Those supporting the referendum admit the nursing home is operating in
the black, but want the flexibility to sell if revenues drop.  The
biggest financial challenge the nursing home faces is recruitment.
Putting these referendum on the ballot will only make recruitment
harder since it will make the nursing home appear it is in a crisis
that it is not.  Why would county board members move to damage the
nursing home's reputation at a time when it is doing relatively well?

- Danielle Chynoweth