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AnMed Health restructures after $5 million loss on year
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Following a $5 million shortfall for fiscal year 2007-08, AnMed Health has restructured its financial plan to ensure a profit for the current fiscal year.
The hospital’s plan for its fiscal year 2008-09, which began on Oct. 1, includes a projected increase in patient revenue, the elimination of 15 full-time employee positions and renegotiation of contracts with several insurance companies, among other items.
Its 2008-09 budget is $445.95 million, up from a budgeted $430.93 million in 2007-08. Actual expenses for 2007-08 were $438.27 million with revenues of $432.99 million, for a shortfall of $5.28 million.
The 15 full-time positions will be lost through attrition, said Bill Manson, executive vice president and chief operating officer.
Jerry Parrish, vice president of finance and chief financial officer, said the cutbacks were necessary because of the losses the hospital saw in connection with uninsured and underinsured patients.
Parrish said Medicare, Medicaid, charitable work and bad debts accounted for a shortfall of more than $92 million in those areas for the hospital for 2007-08. But at the same time, paying patients brought in $87 million more for the hospital for the year than the projected budget related to such patients.
Manson said national trends were being reflected in Anderson.
“Over the last two and a half years, we’ve seen the total volume in minor care and the emergency room has gone up 20 percent,” he said. “It’s not due to population growth. More and more people are seeking primary care, and in some cases free primary care in emergency rooms.”
The vast majority of those seeking care in the emergency room were those who had lost their jobs and no longer were covered by health insurance or were underinsured and could not afford the deductible for their health insurance, Manson said.
Manson said AnMed would move its Wellspring program, a behavioral health center for adult chemical dependency treatment, from that program’s current Williamston location to the AnMed Health Medical Center.
In addition, the hospital will move its Women’s Health Clinic into its family medicine residency program in the AnMed Health Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
According to Manson, the hospital also will eliminate its contract with a medical telephone services company that provides its nurse hotline.
A projected $5 million decrease in administrative expenses and general expenses would come from a variety of areas, including a renegotiation for health insurance costs for its employees and the reduction of the 15.12 full-time positions.
AnMed is the county’s largest employer, providing the county with more than 3,500 jobs.
Manson said the hospital will continue to look at ways to manage its operations better to meet its projected revenue goals without needing to make additional cuts.
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I wonder how much the new helicopter pad, parking lots, demolition of older buildings, houses, new signs, landscaping, relocating Sherrard St, and relocating the main entrance driveway to the hospital actually cost? There's not enough beds in the hospital and there is an unused helicopter pad at the health campus! I hope they aren't waiting for a state bail-out!
The national trends being seen in Anderson has a lot to do with un-insured illegal immagrants getting "free" health care at citizens expence.
Hospitals all over the USA are reporting losses. Medicare/medicaid cuts, lost grants, insurance companies not paying out.
PABK1230...just wait until you are critically injured in an accident and you need that helicopter to get you to the hospital really quick..will you still be whining?
I fully agree with 57freebird. The homeless and illegal immagrants are destroying the medical system with their free health care.
Didn't they say that the Halloween event was canceled for reasons other then money. Then the next day or so this comes out? Makes a person wonder.
The most recent property additions, etc. were budgeted years ago. That cost has nothing to do with the current debt.
Well. I don't need a helicopter to go 6 miles and if I do, it will be one carrying me to a out of town hospital if something happens to me out of town. My point was, they seem to be spending money on exterior projects that really aren't as important as seeing patients in the ER stacked in the hall waiting for an exam room because the patients in the ER that need to be admitted cannot be moved to a room when there aren't any available beds. Yes the illegals are most of the problem, but too much fluff on the outside is unnecessary, and as I said earlier, there is an EXISTING heli-pad at the health campus!!!!
Made me think about this article from earlier in the year:
Health care in the Upstate can include TV, favorite drink
http://www.independentmail.com/news/2...
Hmm.. Maybe AnMed needs a new billboard campaign: Budget - Something used to justify your private office shower?
it seems like anmed has gotten out of patient care being their top priority. from the feedback i've gotten firsthand the place has gotten extremely top heavy. people are being milked for tests and unneeded procedures so their insurance and/or medicare/medicaid will pay. the women's and children's hospital is never full, it's really nice...hottubs, marble, you name it. but, if i had a choice i would choose greenville over anderson for my medical care.
I do not have health insurance/medicare/medicaid. I make payments FAITHFULLY every month. What I don't understand is how a procedure done in Anmed is 3 times what it is at Oconee(speaking from experience)??!!
AnMed Facts:
Spooktacular was cancelled because the people attending were not the target market for AnMed.
Too many minorities without insurance. This is the same reason the city made them move out of town.You know,too many poor people.
Losing Five Million a year?Check agin.
The conference table cost $100,000.
The Shower(private)......
??????????
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