Hospital May Go To Voters If Cuts Pass

DAYTON - The Columbia County Hospital District and members of the community are rallying all resources and writing letters to legislators to stop a proposed $404,000 budget cut to Dayton General Hospital that will be on the table in the upcoming special session.

"It's the big news of our community," hospital CEO Charlie Button said. "If we don't act, the potential could be that we could close."

Button said the proposed cut would mean the current cost-based reimbursement model for critical access hospitals that helps Dayton's hospital care for Medicare patients would be removed.

"We don't make money and we don't lose money (this way)," Button said. "But, it keeps us whole."

The proposal would change the cost-based reimbursement and reduce the amount the hospital receives by about 76 percent, he said.

"We can live with a smaller amount," Button said. "We can't live on a 76-percent reduction. We just can't absorb this kind of cut."

Button said the district would be willing to take a 5 percent reduction, and lose about $26,000 rather than $404,000.

Losing Medicaid money has major effects. He said the district receives federal matching money for the Medicaid money and losing the money through the state means the loss of federal money as well.

The district is working to educate the community and will be circulating information fliers. Button said some of the hospital's employees are worrying they will lose their jobs, but Button said not to panic because the board has a plan. If the cut passed, Button said an option would be to go to the taxpayers for money to keep the hospital running.

On Nov. 14 at the Dayton City Council meeting, Jim Kimes, a member of the board that oversees the hospital district, said the hospital would not go to the voters for more money. Last Friday, Kimes revised his statement.

" I probably mis- stated that," he said. "I don't think the voters of this county can support that kind of levy on an annual basis."

Kimes said if the cut is approved by the state, the district would need to ask for $400,000 to $500,000 a year from taxpayers. He said his opinion is that a district this small would not be able to afford that. But, he won't count it out as a solution.

"If this went through, one of the last- ditch reserves would be to go back to the voters," Kimes said. "I'm hoping we never get to it. We're hoping we can cut this off at the pass."

Board member Lisa Naylor said going to the taxpayers for money would "not be out of order," but it would only be looked at in an extreme circumstance.

Ted Paterson, chairman of the board, said he would like to poll the public before asking them for anything.

"It's a public hospital and we would have to talk to our public," Paterson said. "We're waiting to see what the legislators are going to do. We're just going to stay positive."

Button said the board has not met or discussed what it would do yet. It would have to vote on a solution.

Right now, the district just wants to make sure the cut doesn't happen. Mayor Craig George said community members should find all of the legislators with critical access hospitals like Dayton's in their jurisdiction and "flood them" with letters and e-mails.

The district is working with other hospitals to raise awareness about what the cuts would mean to them.

Jennie Dickinson said business owners need to get involved in the fight. The hospital is the largest employer in the county, and business at the Bluewood ski area could decrease if there isn't a hospital close by, she said. It's not just about health care, it's about business, Dickinson said.

"There's a lot of momentum building and a lot of support," Button said. "Very much we're on the leading edge and it says a lot about our community."

The district is asking the community to e-mail a few key state representatives to encourage them the preserve cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals:

Senator Mike Hewitt, Rep. Terry Nealy, Rep. Maureen Walsh, Rep. Mike Armstrong, Sen. Linda Evans Parlette, Rep. Joel Kretz, Rep. Shelly Short, Sen. Bob Morton, Sen. Karen Keiser and Rep. Eileen Cody.