[Vision2020] Gritman's Community Service

Fri Feb 25 10:40:03 PST 2005

Jon writes:  "Donovan Arnold had a rough time in November.  Many of his 
candidates lost and he is still dealing with that."  That could be the 
answer.  I'm quite used to my candidates losing in November, I anticipate 
it.  Donovan's too young to have developed the thick skin necessary to 
endure the exquisite agony of being a liberal voter in Idaho.                

                               Carl Westberg Jr.

>From: "Jon Kimberling" <jonk at n-k-ins.com>
>To: "'David M. Budge'" <dave at davebudge.com>,        "'Donovan Arnold'" 
><donovanarnold at hotmail.com>
>CC: vision2020 at moscow.com, bjswan at moscow.com
>Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Gritman's Community Service
>Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 10:26:27 -0800
>
>Thank you David Budge. You beat me to a number of the punches I intended to
>throw back on this one. Donovan Arnold had a rough time in November. Many 
>of
>his candidates lost and he is still dealing with that. His answer is to 
>stir
>the pot with his, as David stated, pathetic whining.
>
>
>
>I would add just a couple things:
>
>
>
>1.	I wish Donovan could have been at the strategic planning session I
>attended Wednesday afternoon. Gritman invited many community members in to
>comment on how the hospital is doing in fulfilling their mission. There 
>were
>no Gritman employees in attendance. The facilitator encouraged us to share
>the good and the bad. The close to twenty people in my group had rave
>reviews for the hospital. There were some problems/challenges discussed but
>we all acknowledged that some were beyond the control of Gritman- or any
>hospital for that matter. Example- dealing with HIPAA and how that
>complicates being user friendly to patients and family members. It’s
>especially tough on clergy.
>2.	My business had the privilege of providing support services to the
>University of Idaho student health program for a number of years. Several
>years ago the University followed national trends and made some major
>changes in their program. At that point, they no longer needed my local
>services and I stepped aside. However, I was privy to information that, if
>anything, we were on the end of the curve wherein other colleges and
>universities had long ago made insurance mandatory. I would ask Donovan to
>do a little research on this. How many schools still have optional 
>insurance
>for their students? As David stated, this is a state policy. Additionally,
>if you hadn’t noticed, health care delivery and cost is one of our greatest
>issues. Have you not noticed the number of health insurance companies that
>have gone bankrupt in recent years? I sell lot’s of health insurance and
>encourage UI students to give serious consideration to the plan. When I
>started with the program, approximately 500 students voluntarily purchased
>it. When I finished up, we were at about 3000. A large group has purchasing
>power not found when buying an individual policy.
>3.	And finally, echoing David’s comment- thank God we live in a county
>where it is O.K. to make a profit. The last time I checked we have a few
>other for profit entities in town- including C J’s.
>
>
>
>We are all very fortunate to have Gritman Hospital in Moscow.
>
>
>
>Jon Kimberling
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
>On Behalf Of David M. Budge
>Sent: Friday, February 25, 2005 2:10 AM
>To: Donovan Arnold
>Cc: vision2020 at moscow.com; bjswan at moscow.com
>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Gritman's Community Service
>
>
>
>GOD, PLEASE MAKE THE VOICES STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!
>
>Holy mother of pearl!  I feel like I've died and gone to Oliver Stone
>conspiracy theory hell.  Have some of you been raised under heavy power
>transmission lines or grew up on a diet of lead based paint chips.
>I take what I can stands and I can't stands it no more.
>
>A)  Accrording to the online U of I Student Health Insurance Program
>brochure, the Idaho State Board of Education requires proof of health
>insurance for ALL publicly funded institutions of higher education in the
>state.  This is not solely a U of I policy.
>
>B) The insurance program is underwritten and administered by the Mega Life
>and Health Insurance Company of America.  Ergo, the University makes not 
>one
>damn dime form the insurance program.
>
>C) The cost of the insurance is about 25% less than the cost of comparable
>individual policies purchased through any other competitive program in the
>state.  Pretty good deal ask ANY insurance agent.
>
>D) The $11 million charged off for indigent care cannot be written off on
>their taxes.  They don't pay income taxes for cripes sake.  They're a
>not-for-profit entity!!!!
>
>E) Who, exactly should pay for indigent care?  What is happening right now
>is that everyone else is paying for those who can't through $20 bandaids.
>In fact, the people who get screwed the most are those who either have not
>the benefit of a collectively bargained health plan (like SHIP) or a
>government program (like Medicaid and Medicare) but I'll get to that in a
>moment. Write you strinkin' congressman!
>
>Now, as I say, I don't have a dog in this fight (although I was born there
>and delivered by the legendary Dr. Wilson for all you townies who may 
>care.)
>The current health system in this country is a disaster, but that's little
>fault of the hospitals.  It's systemic.
>
>You want to get down on the heath care system, that's fair game.  But I see
>that some here have so little clue as to what in fact are the pressures on
>hospitals that their arguments are vacuous hyperbole.
>
>About 80% of health care is used by 20% of the population.  About 60% in
>total dollars is used by the 13% receiving Medicare.  Medicare payments are
>highly regulated by the Heath Care Finance Authoritiy (HCFA) and are paid
>under a system called Diagnostic Related Groups (DRG's) the sets maximums
>for any payment that can be made for any service.  This system has put
>horrendous strains on the entire hospital system nationally and I'm sure
>that Gritman is no exception.  Hence, pricing needed to make up the
>deficiency ($20 bandaids) is a defacto subsidy by all other payers.
>Additionally, under the Community Hopsital Charter Bill, no community
>hospital is able to turn anyone away for care regardless of their ability 
>to
>pay.  This doesn't even include the pricing pressure from Medicaid. (check
>out  http://www.enterstageright.com/archive/articles/0601patuncon.htm for
>some backgound on insruace and HMO's - libertarian rant.)
>
>I assume, but I don't know for sure, that Gritman makes its annual reports
>available, in one form or another,  to anyone who asks for it.   The
>accounting used is called Fund Balance Accounting where there is no equity
>per say as there is no ownership.  Anyone with a bone to pick with Gritman
>should get that statement before casting ad hominem attacks based on
>groundless assumptions and vacuous logic.  My guess is, being familiar with
>such things, that Gritaman has a minimal "free funds balance" and just 
>about
>all resources are earmarked for specific programs.  If you're really so 
>full
>of piss and vinegar on the issue get involved, donate your time to the
>hospital, and study the finacials, so no one has to subsidize you ignorance
>with spilled ink.
>
>Lastly, is it so wrong that anyone makes a profit on anything?  How
>ridiculously obtuse is this proposition?  We live in a market economy and,
>although it sometimes lacks in fairness, it seems the best current model in
>the egalitarian distribution of goods and services.  (hint to Mr. Arnold -
>you've got a University in Moscow - how 'bout econ 101.)
>
>You know what?  Keep up the pressure and good people like B.J. Swanson will
>eventually tell you to go piss off, sell Gritman to Health Corporation of
>America and shut down all indigent services.  Then pathetic whiners that
>think everything in the country relative to commerce is out to get them 
>will
>have the opportunity to take their pathetic paranoia and pound sand. You
>should be thanking him for doing otherwise thankless work.
>
>You may have an argument for socialized medicine (regardless of how wrong
>heades it may be) but you're making assumptions here that are based on, 
>from
>what I can tell ...nothing.
>
>I want to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Swanson and the entire Board 
>of
>Directors.  I've been in similar postions and I know the sacrifice to one's
>familyies and personal life it takes.
>
>
>
>Dave (Mr. Screed) Budge
>
>
>
>Donovan Arnold wrote:
>
>B.J. Swanson and visioneers,
>
>You write well. However, I don't think you are being honest with the
>community. Let us shine some light on your points.
>
>"The Board of Directors are all volunteers from the community and receive 
>no
>pay."--BJ S.
>
>That is because they make their money off making decisions that result in
>lining their own pockets. Let us take the case of a previous Board of
>Directors Chair. He used his position at UI to require  all UI students
>purchase health insurance. This saved Gritman millions of dollars in having
>to pay the indigent fund. After leaving as Chair of Board of Directors he
>now works one day a week as the Director of Student Health, Benefits, and
>Welfare at UI for $90,000 a year and he only works ONE day a week,
>Wednesday, and I don't think he even shows up until after 9 AM. That is a
>cushy job. That is why he doesn't need the token pay of the position. He
>made millions for UI and saved millions for Gritman, at the expense of UI
>Students, many of which cannot afford the crappy insurance, that costs more
>and cut out vision and dental.
>
>"Gritman is non-profit"-BJS
>
>Maybe not for the hospital and community but it sure is for some of the
>board of directors and some others that work there. At $20 for a band-aid,
>money has got to going some where because is not going to the nurses or the
>janitors.
>
>
>"Gritman is not a tax supported hospital." BJS
>
>If you believe that I got a bridge in Brooklyn I would like to sell you.
>Humm, as I seem to recall, the taxpayers donated an entire street to 
>Gritman
>and paid money to build on an entirely new wing to the hospital for private
>doctors to make private profits. Not to mention providing all those
>utilities. Now just because it doesn't show as a LINE ITEM on a bill 
>doesn't
>mean we are not paying for it. I think to suggest that the taxpayers are 
>not
>spending millions of their hard earned dollars on Gritman really is
>dishonest and akin of the type of behavior and attitude that has been 
>coming
>out of the Board of Directors for the last few years. Taxpayers do support
>Gritman and you should thank them for it rather than telling them they 
>don't
>and insulting them. Its operations are also supported by taxpayers because
>the hospital is tax exempt and taxpayers have to pay higher property taxes
>as a result.
>
>" Last year, Gritman expensed over $11 million in charity care in this
>community."--BJS
>
>Correction, Gritman wrote-off on their taxes $11 million in charity care to
>the community. Let us not get carried away. And at $20 for a band aid, how
>much care was that? How much did Gritman collect and save from not having 
>to
>pay for indigent care by forcing UI students to have expensive health
>insurance? How much has Gritman made from other tax supported entities? How
>much of that charity was paid as a mandate by local, state, and federal 
>law?
>And where was most of the money directed? The answers to those question
>began to paint a much different picture.
>
>"Gritman will pay it's fair share of a BID assessment if it is 
>approved."BJS
>
>
>You mean Gritman won't break the law? Thanks for that agreement.
>
>
>"I challenge you to think of Moscow without Gritman and tell me if you 
>would
>be better off." BJS
>
>Oh please! Are you suggesting that Moscow Residents are to ignorant to
>figure out how to staff a hospital if it were not for BJ Swanson and the
>Board of Directors? That really is disturbing and insulting you people 
>think
>that about yourselves. If Gritman was not there, we would have a better
>hospital like we did before it was taken over by a tax dodging and
>profiteering form of management. We would not have people lining up to be 
>on
>the board of directors to make money off the position if it were not for
>Gritman. We would not have as high of property taxes because the private
>doctors making private profits would be paying taxing rather than being
>supported by them if it were not for Gritman. And lastly, I would not be
>forced to buy inadequate health insurance from UI at outrageous prices. The
>Board of Directors cost me an extra $500 a year and my former quality 
>health
>insurance I had before.  I think people in Moscow would have to filled with
>a great deal of incompetence not to be better off with a different 
>hospital.
>
>
>Finally, it ought to tell people in Moscow something when a former members
>of the Board of Directors at Gritman would rather be helicoptered to
>Lewiston for treatment rather than be treated at Gritman. Maybe they know
>something.
>
>I know that Gritman has good workers and bad workers, just like every place
>else. However, I think it gets worse when you have greedy profit driven
>management. Greed should never be allowed to rear its ugly head in a place
>that is suppose to provide critical quality care. The Gritman Board of
>Directors, over the last several years, has placed the welfare of the
>community second to huge profits.
>
>Good Day,
>
>Donovan J Arnold
>Victim of Gritman
>
>"How do you tell when a politician is lying? Their lips are moving"
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>From: "B. J. Swanson"  <mailto:bjswan at moscow.com> <bjswan at moscow.com>
>To:  <mailto:vision2020 at moscow.com> <vision2020 at moscow.com>
>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Gritman's Community Service
>Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2005 20:12:29 -0800
>
>
>Donovan & Visionaries,
>
>The cost of healthcare is certainly a concern for everyone.  Instead of a
>Social Security crisis, the nation probably has a worse healthcare crisis.
>It's not just Moscow.
>
>You may think Gritman is a huge for-profit, corporate hospital, but it is
>not.  Gritman is non-profit.  It is owned by the community.  The Board of
>Directors are all volunteers from the community and receive no pay.  We do
>contract with Quorum Health Resources for management of Gritman.  Jeff
>Martin is the only Quorum employee at Gritman. If you have ever looked at a
>Medicare Cost Report or one of the 300+ contracts Gritman maintains, you
>would clearly see that to stay in business and provide healthcare that the
>community expects, we contract with a company that specializes in hospital
>management.  It's an extremely complicated and costly industry, but it also
>saves lives.
>
>Gritman does way more than provide hot chocolate, coffee, etc. to the
>community.  Last year, Gritman expensed over $11 million in charity care in
>this community.  We care for everyone regardless of their ability to pay.
>
>Gritman is also the largest private employer with nearly 400 employees.
>
>The direct healthcare areas of Gritman are tax exempt.  Properties that are
>leased or not directly related to healthcare are taxed.  Gritman will pay
>it's fair share of a BID assessment if it is approved.
>
>You will find that many hospitals in Idaho started out like Gritman; owned
>and supported by the community.  Most have gotten into trouble, sold
>themselves to for-profit companies or gave themselves to the Counties and
>became taxing districts.  Pullman Regional Hospital is funded by a taxing
>district.  The residents of Pullman are taxed to support their hospital.
>Gritman is not a tax supported hospital.  You will find no line item on 
>your
>
>tax bill to support Gritman.  It is tax exempt, but you do not pay taxes to
>keep it running either.  Most communities that now have tax supported
>hospitals would much prefer an arrangement like Gritman.
>
>I challenge you to think of Moscow without Gritman and tell me if you would
>be better off.
>
>B. J. Swanson
>Chairman of the Board
>Gritman Medical Center
>
>----------------------------------
>
>
>------ Forwarded Message
>From: "Donovan Arnold"  <mailto:donovanarnold at hotmail.com>
><donovanarnold at hotmail.com>
>Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2005 18:46:57 -0800
>To: edc at moscow.com, CJs at Turbonet.com, editor at lataheagle.com,
>vision2020 at moscow.com
>Subject: [Vision2020] Gritman's Community Service
>
>
>  "Gritman provided hot chocolate, coffee, and cookies for participants of
>the
>Holiday Parade.  Gritman also provides hot dogs and drinks for the
>Homecoming Parade."
>
>Don't forget the lolly pop and a free sticker if you don't cry during a
>hysterectomy.
>
>Really though, it is so nice for UI students to pay an extra $500 a 
>semester
>
>in addition to other fees so they can get free coffee and cookies at
>downtown events. What a deal! And we wonder why students are leaving UI by
>the hundreds. The logic just doesn't follow :P
>
>Donovan J Arnold
>
>
>---------------------------------
>
>
>
> >From: Barbara Richardson Crouch  <mailto:edc at moscow.com> <edc at moscow.com>
> >To:  <mailto:CJs at Turbonet.com> <CJs at Turbonet.com>,
><mailto:editor at lataheagle.com> <editor at lataheagle.com>,
>vision2020 at moscow.com
> >Subject: Re: [Vision2020] NSA
> >Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2005 18:55:11 GMT
> >
> >Phil,
> >
> >Gritman is a not-for-profit corporation.  The hospital is controlled and
> >operated by a board of directors comprised of community members.  Gritman
> >provides millions of dollars per year in unreimbursed care to our local
> >residents.
> >
> >Gritman provides various services and supports downtown events.  Gritman
> >provided hot chocolate, coffee, and cookies for participants of the
> >Holiday Parade.  Gritman also provides hot dogs and drinks for the
> >Homecoming Parade.  Plus Gritman supports finacially many, many events
> >throughout the community.
> >
> >Barbara Crouch
> >
> >---------------------------------
> >
> > > Kai - If NSA  and Grittman (since Grittman is  FOR PROFIT) were paying
> > > property taxes there would not need to be  a BID.
> > >
> > > Phil
> > >
> > > -------Original Message-------
> > >
> > > From: Kai Eiselein
> > > Date: 02/24/05 09:06:41
> > > To: vision2020 at moscow.com
> > > Subject: [Vision2020] NSA
> > >
> > > Rose, you may want to take a closer look at the BID. I am rather
> >ambivile> nt
> > > about it, but I did write an article in the December 9 issue of the
> >Latah>
> > > Eagle about the process.
> > > According to the documents I have, a tax exempt entity is not exempt
> >from>
> > > the a BID levy. That would include New St. Andrews College and Gritman
> >to>
> > > name a couple. The BID in Twin Falls includes the administrative 
>office
> >o> f
> > > the school district, as I recall, and they are subject to the BID levy
> >as>
> > > well.
> > >
> > >
> > > Kai T. Eiselein
> > > Editor
> > > Latah Eagle
> > > 521 S. Jackson St.
> > > Moscow, ID 83843
> > > (208) 882-0666 Fax (208) 882-0130
> > > editor at lataheagle.com
> > >
>
>_____________________________________________________
>  List services made available by First Step Internet,
>  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>                http://www.fsr.net
>           mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
>
>
>
>_____________________________________________________
>List services made available by First Step Internet, serving the 
>communities
>of the Palouse since 1994.                 http://www.fsr.net
>mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
>
>
>
>
>--
>No virus found in this incoming message.
>Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
>Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 266.4.0 - Release Date: 2/22/2005
>
>
>
>--
>No virus found in this outgoing message.
>Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
>Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 266.4.0 - Release Date: 2/22/2005
>
>
>_____________________________________________________
>  List services made available by First Step Internet,
>  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>                http://www.fsr.net
>           mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯