HOSPITAL DISTRICT

LOCAL NEWS

DATE: 01 13 10

MONDAY NIGHT THE LIBERTY COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT VOTED TO TRANSFER MORE MONEY FROM THE TAX PAYER FUNDED DISTRICT RESERVES TO THE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT CURRENTLY OWNS AND OPERATES THE LIBERTY DAYTON REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER. PRESIDENT OF THE NON-PROFIT CORPORATION, PAUL HENRY, WHO IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT BOARD, SAID THE HOSPITAL HAS ONLY, IN THE PAST WEEK OR SO, BEGAN BILLING MEDICARE AND MEDICAID FOR SERVICES PROVIDED AT THE LIBERTY DAYTON REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER. PAPERWORK ISSUES WITH FORMER HOSPITAL OWNER, FRONTIER HEALTH CARE, HELD UP THAT PROCESS FOR MONTHS AFTER THE DISTRICT TOOK OVER OPERATIONS AT THE HOSPITAL. ACCORDING TO PAUL HENRY, THE HOSPITAL REQUIRES ABOUT $400,000 PER MONTH TO OPERATE. THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT, ON A 3-0 VOTE, BOARD MEMBER CISSY DRAKE ABSTAINED FROM VOTING - TRANSFERRED AN ADDITIONAL $300,000 INTO THE COFFERS OF THE NON-PROFIT CORPORATION FOR HOSPITAL FUNDING. IN ITS DECEMBER MEETING, THE TAX FUNDED HOSPITAL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS MOVED THE SAME AMOUNT TO THE NOT FOR PROFIT CORPORATION. IN OTHER ACTION, HOSPITAL DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS APPROVED THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT FOR ITS FISCAL YEAR TO DATE. WHILE ON THE SURFACE IT LOOKS AS IF THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT IS IN DEFICIT SPENDING, IN FACT THE DISTRICT IS PULLING FROM A MONEY MARKET ACCOUNT THAT, ACCORDING TO HOSPITAL DISTRICT BOARD PRESIDENT BRUCE STRATTON, STILL HAS ROUGHLY A MILLION DOLLARS BALANCE.

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IN ADDITION, THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT IS EXPECTING TO RECEIVE ROUGHLY 1.6 MILLION MORE IN PROPERTY TAX INCOME. LIKELY, THAT MONEY WILL BE RECEIVED IN THE FIRST PART OF FEBRUARY. LIBERTY COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT BOARD PRESIDENT BRUCE STRATTON SAID THEY HAVE BEEN BUILDING THE MONEY MARKET ACCOUNT FOR SOME TIME IN ANTICIPATION OF NEEDING EXTRA FUNDING.

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AGAIN, MONDAY NIGHT THE LIBERTY COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT BOARD APPROVED AN ADDITIONAL $300,000 TRANSFER TO THE NON-PROFIT CORPORATION THAT OWNS THE HOSPITAL TO HELP FILL IN THE FINANCIAL GAP OF THE LIBERTY DAYTON REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER WHILE WAITING FOR  ANTICIPATED PAYMENTS FROM MEDICARE AND MEDICAID.