This also applies to the Poteau hospital. They are basically in the same boat as Bartlesville. I would appreciate your feedback and opinions on this issue. I fear we will lose access to healthcare in the rural parts of the state if Oklahoma does not expand Medicaid. Hospital layoffs attributed to state Medicaid policy Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise July 07, 2013 Bartlesville’s Jane Phillips Medical Center is laying off an undetermined number of local employees as part of a larger workforce reduction being implemented by its corporate sponsor St. John Health System. According to a statement issued by St. John Health System, the company faces “a challenging economic reality, resulting from Oklahoma’s decision not to participate in Medicaid expansion that would provide citizens access to health insurance through public funding.” The Tulsa Business & Legal News reported last month that it had obtained an email sent to employees by St. John President and CEO David J. Pynn. The publication reported that according to Pynn, more than 200 St. John Health System employees would be laid off by the end of June, representing approximately 2-3 percent of the health system’s workforce. The St. John Health System is a not-for-profit healthcare system which owns or manages eight hospitals in northeastern Oklahoma and southern Kansas. In addition to its hospital and clinics in Tulsa, St. John also operates hospitals in Owasso, Broken Arrow and Sapulpa. St. John sponsors Jane Phillips Medical Center in Bartlesville. Local officials at JPMC would not comment on any specific numbers or positions that may have been cut locally. In the statement issued by St. John, the company blamed federal and state healthcare policy for the staffing reductions. “As of January 1, the federal government reduced Medicare payments to help pay for the expansion of the Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Because Oklahoma will not be participating in the ACA’s Medicaid expansion, our state essentially becomes a donor state. Oklahoma receives fewer federal healthcare dollars (which go elsewhere), while receiving none of the financial and social benefits of Medicaid expansion. The anticipated impact to St. John of this state decision is expected to be a loss approaching $20 million annually in Medicaid reimbursement for the healthcare services we provide.” In its statement, St. John said it anticipates an additional loss approaching $15 million in reimbursements related to ACA Medicare payment reductions and federal sequestration cuts. “To address this projected economic reality, St. John is reducing costs and restructuring its workforce to meet the anticipated reduced volumes and reimbursements for patients who seek our care. We will continue to look for ways to operate in this challenging environment while maintaining our commitment to providing high quality and personalized healthcare.” Locally, David Stire serves as president and Chief Operating Officer of JPMC.
Posted on: Tue, 09 Jul 2013 00:26:11 +0000
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