tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422946626486366282024-03-12T23:42:15.957-07:00Sutter Health: The "Charity" Driving Up Your Healthcare CostsSutter Health is classified as a tax exempt charity, yet operates outside of public view as if it were a "for profit" corporation. Sutter is nationally recognized for its profiteering, huge increases in executive pay, and charges for care that are up to 60% over market averages. If you are tired of overpriced health care, skyrocketing health insurance premiums, and increasing out of pocket costs, please join our effort by contacting Dr. Greg Duncan at gregoryduncan1200@gmail.com
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642294662648636628.post-76329675636265811092019-10-22T22:30:00.001-07:002019-10-22T22:30:14.340-07:00Join Our Fight Against Overpriced Healthcare<div>
<div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;">The
Del Norte Healthcare District is an elected public agency in Del Norte
County, California. The following content was approved by unanimous vote
of the District's Board of Directors.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" class="m_4558679907535518445editor-text m_4558679907535518445feature-heading-text" style="color: #717a80; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.2; padding: 10px 20px; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;" valign="top"><div>
<div>
<div>
<span style="color: #403f42;"> Join Our Fight Against Overpriced Healthcare</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">The Del Norte Healthcare District is
on a mission. After repeated requests for help from our residents and
visitors, we are fighting high priced healthcare and incomprehensible
medical bills.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">The public brought us stories of
brief doctor visits followed by $2,000 doctor bills, colonoscopy charges
of $6,000, and hospital bills exceeding $10,000 for minor surgery
performed in Crescent City. Nationwide, roughly $3.5 trillion is spent
yearly on healthcare--more than $10,000 per person, every year. Now, the
Healthcare District is comparing charges at local and out of area
facilities to help patients find cost-effective care.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Why are rising healthcare costs
important? Because we all pay for it--whether by larger “out of pocket”
costs, lower wages (to make up for the higher cost for employers to
provide healthcare coverage), higher taxes (to pay for government
sponsored health programs) and more “job outsourcing” (where employers
send jobs out of state or overseas to avoid high priced healthcare at
home).</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Why are healthcare costs out of
control? In part, because the prices charged to patients are often a
closely guarded secret. Although the “list price” of tests and
procedures (called “chargemaster” rates) is published by hospital
systems, the real price you pay (the “negotiated rate”) is only known to
hospital systems and insurance companies.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">How can we find out the real prices charged for healthcare? With two documents:</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">(1)</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: 9px; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Your itemized bill (hospitals generally mail out a summary bill but not an itemized bill unless you specifically request it).</span>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">(2)</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: 9px; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Your
insurance company or Medicare Explanation of Benefits (which will show
both the fee charged by the hospital or provider and the amount approved
by the insurer).</span>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">How can you help tackle the problem
of high-priced healthcare? By providing the Del Norte Healthcare
District with a copy of your itemized bill and Explanation of
Benefits. We will add your data (anonymously) to our growing list of
healthcare prices charged by doctors, hospitals, and testing
facilities—local and out of area. And we will publish the result and
post the data on our website.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">If you would like to help by sharing your bills and insurance statements, just email them to the Healthcare District at </span><a href="mailto:dnhcd@delnortehealth.com" style="color: #48a199; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">dnhcd@delnortehealth.com</a><span style="font-weight: bold;">
or drop off at our office in the Wellness Center on 550 E. Washington
Blvd., suite 400, from 8 am to 12 noon weekdays. If you prefer to remain
anonymous, simply remove your identifying information. If you would
like us to review your charges and follow up with you, please provide
your contact information, which we will not release to anyone.</span>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">As always, feel free to contact the Del
Norte Healthcare District with your healthcare related ideas, or attend
our monthly meetings held the fourth Tuesday of each month (except
December when we meet on the 17</span><sup style="font-size: 70%; font-weight: bold; line-height: 0;">th</sup><span style="font-weight: bold;">),
6:30 pm at the Wellness Center on 550 E. Washington Blvd., Crescent
City. Executive Secretary Hendricks Doris Hendricks is also available by
phone at (707) 464-9494.</span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Visit us on the web at </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001dEfFbVDmJ0ITsTnD8tln-9vyMLKz3BVKtkSvX6mzgQGNV-XEe0SosgNeehjpMtU5OkDnvJFOJEa5y4Wc9stYVl76l9EtreE20T3j3jzEjGp_ovWJJcA64IfqmwRub2gyGk-YXS7vSGu4ORXp7UQAyQ%3D%3D%26c%3D4oPGK72bbTDRB1slbxG23ynZ8YgE1OEJftYCWANZleEaXHqgOePDtg%3D%3D%26ch%3D_pXgqoZdgyxH-wxkKznXrnJF0HAzwQRYr3tABRYGkyIK42LhfVD-kw%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1571201752245000&usg=AFQjCNH2qJcvXCeobsDXeidZlO2Q7nKzKQ" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001dEfFbVDmJ0ITsTnD8tln-9vyMLKz3BVKtkSvX6mzgQGNV-XEe0SosgNeehjpMtU5OkDnvJFOJEa5y4Wc9stYVl76l9EtreE20T3j3jzEjGp_ovWJJcA64IfqmwRub2gyGk-YXS7vSGu4ORXp7UQAyQ==&c=4oPGK72bbTDRB1slbxG23ynZ8YgE1OEJftYCWANZleEaXHqgOePDtg==&ch=_pXgqoZdgyxH-wxkKznXrnJF0HAzwQRYr3tABRYGkyIK42LhfVD-kw==" style="color: #48a199; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">http://delnortehealthcare.com/</a>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">We look forward to hearing from you!</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;">Del Norte Healthcare District Board of Directors,</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elizabeth Austen Kevin Caldwell, M.D. Gregory Duncan, M.D.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dohn Henion, Esq. Michael Young</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642294662648636628.post-56609582977729714432019-04-29T13:39:00.001-07:002019-04-29T13:39:21.485-07:00Who Profits From Non-Profit Hospitals?<div class="m_-6935057641299515677text-container m_-6935057641299515677galileo-ap-content-editor">
<div>
<div>
If you are concerned with rising healthcare costs and lack of transparency in our health care system, a proposal before the California legislature will help address those problems.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Here is the background. Last year, representatives from the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors, City Council of Crescent City, and Del Norte Healthcare District asked California Assemblyman Jim Wood for help regarding increasing healthcare costs.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Although rising healthcare costs are a national concern, Del Norte County is particularly impacted because one healthcare system, Sutter Health, operates the county’s only hospital, ER, MRI, and CT scanner, where prices are much higher compared to facilities outside our county.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Because the California Attorney General is currently suing Sutter Health for alleged price fixing, restraint of trade, and conspiracy to create and maintain a monopoly, we understand this year is not the best time to introduce healthcare legislation which may overlap the Attorney General’s lawsuit. Instead, Dr. Wood and his staff proposed legislation to address the lack of transparency among non-profit hospitals, which provide charity care and community benefit in exchange for their tax exemptions.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The numbers are huge—billions of potential tax dollars are not paid by healthcare corporations, like Sutter Health, which operate as tax exempt charities. At the same time, <span style="font-weight: bold;">a recent study found that non-profit healthcare systems charge much more for hospital care than “for -profit” systems</span>.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="color: #48a199; font-family: Calibri,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">[1]</a>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Are the billions of dollars in tax exemptions enjoyed by non-profit hospitals justified by the charity care which those corporations provide? </span>The Del Norte Healthcare District is working on that question. We asked Sutter to explain how they are calculating the millions of dollars in charity care and community benefit they claim to be providing. Sutter Health would not answer our inquiry, other than to state <span style="font-style: italic;">“costs </span>[for charity care] <span style="font-style: italic;">are computed on a relationship of costs to charges.</span>”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="color: #48a199; font-family: Calibri,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">[2]</a> What does that mean—“<span style="font-style: italic;">relationship of costs to charges</span>”? </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Assemblyman Wood’s legislation, if passed, would provide much needed transparency to “non-profit” hospital systems. AB 204 authorizes the state to develop regulations standardizing the calculation and reporting of community benefits, and requires hospitals to report their community benefits plans on their web sites. In short, AB 204 would shed light on whether or not healthcare systems are deserving of their tax exemptions.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">The Del Norte County Board of Supervisors and the Del Norte Healthcare District have voted unanimously to support Dr. Wood’s AB 204 legislation.</span> The City Council of Crescent City will discuss AB 204 at an upcoming meeting.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You can support AB 204 by contacting Assemblyman Jim Wood at his website <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001KqlFnyZCKGSf6PBF1o-0UI5HRzzjBk0adzi3NbCEu_-O48iLOZCxoQ5EGnquY7PixgVZwZYWs_5ALffhV27ANl876LyBOkc50lfmXDKgHChBqPJY0UMGmYUYIyDaiK9mzXr_qH99Ps8%3D%26c%3Dq1zpsxzuQDr4o0nniWGQGQr9F_7TOEmrMVRQybXSJR82XsCow_yhrA%3D%3D%26ch%3DG212DNB8qz5TrFJQBQy2Kfx2zgfilwPhyE6dQfAH4uAkyX3C1KSAxA%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1556655776507000&usg=AFQjCNEN4yFj2wMOu3F7Wl0CBdeTAfqdqw" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001KqlFnyZCKGSf6PBF1o-0UI5HRzzjBk0adzi3NbCEu_-O48iLOZCxoQ5EGnquY7PixgVZwZYWs_5ALffhV27ANl876LyBOkc50lfmXDKgHChBqPJY0UMGmYUYIyDaiK9mzXr_qH99Ps8=&c=q1zpsxzuQDr4o0nniWGQGQr9F_7TOEmrMVRQybXSJR82XsCow_yhrA==&ch=G212DNB8qz5TrFJQBQy2Kfx2zgfilwPhyE6dQfAH4uAkyX3C1KSAxA==" style="color: #48a199; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">https://a02.asmdc.org</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>or at his Sacramento office: Assemblyman Jim Wood, State Capitol, P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0002, or by phone at<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> (916) 319-2002.</span>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sincerely,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Directors of the Del Norte Healthcare District</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Elizabeth Austen, Kevin Caldwell, Greg <span class="il">Duncan</span>, Dohn Henion, and Mike Young </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"> </span></div>
<div>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="color: #48a199; font-family: Calibri,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">[1]</a> “Average Hospital Expenses Per Inpatient Day Across 50 States” Amy Ellison, Becker’s Hospital Review, Jan. 4, 2019</div>
<div>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="color: #48a199; font-family: Calibri,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">[2]</a> Letter from Sutter Coast Hospital CEO Mitch Hanna to Del Norte Healthcare District, received Jan. 2019</div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642294662648636628.post-25234816408327051002018-12-07T21:00:00.000-08:002018-12-07T21:00:00.137-08:00New Urgent Care Clinic Open in Crescent City<div class="m_5141916288959374635text-container m_5141916288959374635galileo-ap-content-editor">
<div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: 24px;">Redwood Urgent Care </span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black;">286 M St., highway 101 south, Crescent City (707) 460-1919</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="m_5141916288959374635gl-contains-text">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" class="m_5141916288959374635editor-text m_5141916288959374635article-text" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; padding: 10px 20px; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;" valign="top">
<div class="m_5141916288959374635text-container m_5141916288959374635galileo-ap-content-editor">
<div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14px;">Del Norte county patients
needing walk-in treatment for most medical conditions now have an
affordable option--Redwood Urgent Care at 286 M St. (off highway 101
south near Safeway). Experienced providers treat everything from colds,
flu, rashes, and minor infections to sports injuries and lacerations--</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;">for as little as $99 a visit for cash patients ($50 for follow up visits)</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px;">.</span>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14px;">Open </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;">daily until 6:30 p.m</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px;">.,
Redwood Urgent Care accepts most major health insurance plans,
including Medicare. (Currently not contracted with Medi-Cal/Partnership
Health Plan)</span>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #0000e6; font-size: 16px;">Additional services
include: x-ray ($75), asthma treatment, and laboratory testing for
bladder infections, sore throat, diabetes and minor gynecological
problems. </span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black;">(note: for life threatening
conditions such as stroke, chest pain, head injury, severe burns, etc.,
please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. Redwood Urgent
Care does not offer chronic care such as pain management, workplace
injury treatment, or psychiatric care. Please visit <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://redwoodurgentcare.com&source=gmail&ust=1544316100747000&usg=AFQjCNFKiINTWpVQxafCETHiIWi9-YZqgg" href="http://redwoodurgentcare.com/" target="_blank">redwoodurgentcare.com</a> for more information)</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_5141916288959374635galileo-ap-layout-editor" style="min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" class="m_5141916288959374635divider-container m_5141916288959374635editor-col m_5141916288959374635OneColumnMobile" valign="top" width="100%">
<div class="m_5141916288959374635gl-contains-divider">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_5141916288959374635editor-divider" style="min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" class="m_5141916288959374635divider-container" valign="top">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_5141916288959374635galileo-ap-content-editor" style="min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" class="m_5141916288959374635divider-base m_5141916288959374635divider-solid" style="padding: 20px 0px 10px;" valign="top" width="100%">
<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="height: 1px; min-width: 94%; width: 94%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#869198" height="1" style="background-color: #869198; border-bottom-style: none; height: 1px; line-height: 1px; padding-bottom: 0px;">
<div>
<img alt="" border="0" class="CToWUd" height="1" hspace="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjRXOJJQPtsSS70F9jma18w4h_eQbleranHX-0DHgGEVt95mm3vzDTNQ4hQaDDUWZjozPmeGNLLIatlOfG4UwEryM6_lvjXY9L8zcDquWQeOUBO0NdwWECpQB-VQsoqR2PtMoN0ZDczRu40vDiOS5g-TgPQmhQCyqQooPE=s0-d-e1-ft" style="display: block; height: 1px; width: 5px;" vspace="0" width="5" /></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_5141916288959374635galileo-ap-layout-editor" style="min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" class="m_5141916288959374635article m_5141916288959374635editor-col m_5141916288959374635OneColumnMobile" valign="top" width="100%">
<div class="m_5141916288959374635gl-contains-text">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" class="m_5141916288959374635editor-text m_5141916288959374635article-heading-text" style="color: #717a80; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 20px; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;" valign="top">
<div class="m_5141916288959374635text-container m_5141916288959374635galileo-ap-content-editor">
<div>
<div>
<span style="color: black;">Provider spotlight: Lynn Szabo, PA-C</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<div class="m_5141916288959374635gl-contains-text">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" class="m_5141916288959374635editor-text m_5141916288959374635article-text" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; padding: 10px 20px; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;" valign="top">
<div class="m_5141916288959374635text-container m_5141916288959374635galileo-ap-content-editor">
<div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Many
local patients already know Lynn Szabo, a physician assistant with 31
years of patient care experience. Lynn received her medical training
from Duke University, then moved west to practice in a rural setting.
Her medical expertise includes treatment of nearly all common conditions
including respiratory, abdominal, bladder, skin and joint disorders.
From closure of lacerations to treatment of headaches, Lynn Szabo brings
compassionate, skilled care to our local patients.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_5141916288959374635galileo-ap-layout-editor" style="min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" class="m_5141916288959374635spacer m_5141916288959374635editor-col m_5141916288959374635OneColumnMobile" valign="top" width="100%">
<div class="m_5141916288959374635gl-contains-spacer">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_5141916288959374635editor-spacer" style="width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" class="m_5141916288959374635spacer-container" valign="top">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" class="m_5141916288959374635spacer-base" style="height: 1px; line-height: 1px; padding-bottom: 20px;" valign="top" width="100%">
<div>
<img alt="" border="0" class="CToWUd" height="1" hspace="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjRXOJJQPtsSS70F9jma18w4h_eQbleranHX-0DHgGEVt95mm3vzDTNQ4hQaDDUWZjozPmeGNLLIatlOfG4UwEryM6_lvjXY9L8zcDquWQeOUBO0NdwWECpQB-VQsoqR2PtMoN0ZDczRu40vDiOS5g-TgPQmhQCyqQooPE=s0-d-e1-ft" style="display: block; height: 1px; width: 5px;" vspace="0" width="5" /></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<span class="HOEnZb"><span style="color: #888888;">
</span></span><span class="HOEnZb"><span style="color: #888888;">
</span></span><span class="HOEnZb"><span style="color: #888888;">
</span></span>
<span class="HOEnZb"><span style="color: #888888;">
</span></span><span class="HOEnZb"><span style="color: #888888;">
</span></span><span class="HOEnZb"><span style="color: #888888;">
</span></span>
<div class="m_5141916288959374635text-container m_5141916288959374635galileo-ap-content-editor">
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642294662648636628.post-77692228247723616242018-12-07T20:57:00.002-08:002018-12-07T20:57:57.101-08:00There are two healthcare boards in Del Norte--One elected by voters and the other appointed by Sutter Health<span style="color: #000090;">There are two healthcare boards in Del Norte--One elected by voters and the other appointed by Sutter Health</span>
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_3896616493241267567galileo-ap-layout-editor" style="min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" class="m_3896616493241267567divider-container m_3896616493241267567editor-col m_3896616493241267567OneColumnMobile" valign="top" width="100%">
<div class="m_3896616493241267567gl-contains-divider">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_3896616493241267567editor-divider" style="min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" class="m_3896616493241267567divider-container" valign="top">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_3896616493241267567galileo-ap-content-editor" style="min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" class="m_3896616493241267567divider-base m_3896616493241267567divider-solid" style="padding: 20px 0px 10px;" valign="top" width="100%">
<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="height: 1px; min-width: 94%; width: 94%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#869198" height="1" style="background-color: #869198; border-bottom-style: none; height: 1px; line-height: 1px; padding-bottom: 0px;">
<div>
<img alt="" border="0" class="CToWUd" height="1" hspace="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjRXOJJQPtsSS70F9jma18w4h_eQbleranHX-0DHgGEVt95mm3vzDTNQ4hQaDDUWZjozPmeGNLLIatlOfG4UwEryM6_lvjXY9L8zcDquWQeOUBO0NdwWECpQB-VQsoqR2PtMoN0ZDczRu40vDiOS5g-TgPQmhQCyqQooPE=s0-d-e1-ft" style="display: block; height: 1px; width: 5px;" vspace="0" width="5" /></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_3896616493241267567galileo-ap-layout-editor" style="min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" class="m_3896616493241267567article m_3896616493241267567editor-col m_3896616493241267567OneColumnMobile" valign="top" width="100%">
<div class="m_3896616493241267567gl-contains-text">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" class="m_3896616493241267567editor-text m_3896616493241267567article-text" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; padding: 10px 20px; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;" valign="top">
<div class="m_3896616493241267567text-container m_3896616493241267567galileo-ap-content-editor">
<div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;">If you are interested in quality, affordable healthcare, the Del Norte Healthcare District would like your input.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;">The
Healthcare District is a five person board elected by county voters to
address local healthcare needs. We constructed the clinic building on
the corner of Washington Blvd. and Northcrest Drive, where medical and
dental services are provided through Open Door Clinics. We are in the
process of expanding our campus to include additional dental capacity,
affordable MRI, and a visiting specialist clinic and possible surgery
center, so residents can receive care at reasonable prices without
leaving the area. </span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;">The current Healthcare District Board members are Kevin Caldwell, Shellie Babich, Dwayne Reichlin, Terry McNamara and Greg <span class="il">Duncan</span>. Incoming
Board members are Mike Young, Dohn Henion, and Elizabeth Austen. We
hold open public meetings, usually on the fourth Tuesday of each month
at 6:30 p.m. Our meeting times, agendas and minutes are posted on the
Del Norte County web site at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.co.del-norte.ca.us/&source=gmail&ust=1544316103697000&usg=AFQjCNG810dZ6m-rziVZTsMDc_IQjTV2Bg" href="http://www.co.del-norte.ca.us/" target="_blank">http://www.co.del-norte.ca.us/</a> </span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;">The
other health care related board in Del Norte County operates Sutter
Coast Hospital. Current Sutter Coast Board members are hospital CEO
Mitch Hanna, Sutter Health executive Grant Davies, Scott Feller, Mojgan
Arshi, John Jacobson, David Itzen, Ken Hall, Clarke Moore, Thomas
Polidore, Warren Rehwaldt, David Wilson, David Gibbs, and Ron
Sandler. Other than the hospital Chief of Staff, Sutter Coast Board
members are appointed by Sutter Health in Sacramento. Sutter Health has
the power to remove all the appointed Sutter Coast Board members at any
time, without cause. Sutter Health also requires the Sutter Coast Board
to be loyal to Sutter Health. </span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;">The
Sutter Coast Hospital Board meetings are closed to the public. No
observers are allowed. No meeting notes are released. Sutter Health
officials have required the Sutter Coast Board members to sign
confidentiality agreements, restricting hospital board members from
answering questions or notifying the public of decisions made in the
hospital board room. Sutter Health and the Sutter Coast Board refuse to
release hospital meeting notes and financial records, despite requests
for those records from the City Council of Crescent City and the Board
of Supervisors of Del Norte County.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;">In
2011, the Sutter Coast Board voted (behind closed doors) to dissolve
itself and transfer hospital ownership to a Sutter Health corporation in
the Bay Area. Dr. Kevin Caldwell was on the hospital Board at that time
and was the only hospital Board member to vote against the transfer of
ownership. Widespread local opposition to the transfer of ownership
prompted the Sutter Coast Board to reverse itself and continue local
hospital ownership. </span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;">The
Sutter Coast Hospital Board also voted (behind closed doors) to triple
fees on Medicare patients, close half of the acute care hospital beds,
and place limits on how long patients can stay at Sutter Coast
Hospital. Dr. Greg <span class="il">Duncan</span> was on the hospital
Board at that time and cast the only “no” vote to Sutter’s plans. But
due to the efforts of numerous elected officials and thousands of
residents, once again Sutter’s closed door plans were stopped. </span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;">For
the past three years, the Sutter Coast Board approved an ER doctor
corporation which bills patients “out of network” for emergency room
treatment (costing patients more “out of pocket” dollars). Once again,
the Del Norte Healthcare District Board, City Council of Crescent City,
and Del Norte County Board of Supervisors joined forces to oppose the
“out of network” ER billing. Curry County commissioners also voted to
oppose the billing practices at the Sutter Coast ER. And again,
community opposition to Sutter Coast was successful-- Sutter Coast
Hospital recently announced the end of “out of network” ER doctor
billing for most insurance plans.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;">The Del Norte Healthcare District Board invites you to join us on the 4</span><sup style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 0;">th</sup><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;">
Tuesday of each month at 6:30 pm in our conference room in the clinic
building on Washington Blvd. and Northcrest Drive. Visit our website at </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0013EAVc0C1b6ZK25lyDz88y5SbJcLuoK--dcyTDhScDHbM4iLnB-wc6ab36X7u5egvpHh0kTLkOoG7vYzbZyZQ2HVaf-Pia2qlLCvpPHhrMVCbxPAtsb3yziSAetEfHyhjt9ET0pwzP-vKPI5xDRE8qY_lqwwjcXAR%26c%3DnTn5bbfMnRzzAk5100f6y11dWCjY4ntkLqyV9tQpO7vVkEejVJ9XNg%3D%3D%26ch%3D-j40xDR0DifdelRiX92Q-T24QcBSV4thu4y20uUjyzRnt2toTrb2pQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1544316103697000&usg=AFQjCNEWFf4w3mUbT0LNhNKHly7DxHSnKg" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0013EAVc0C1b6ZK25lyDz88y5SbJcLuoK--dcyTDhScDHbM4iLnB-wc6ab36X7u5egvpHh0kTLkOoG7vYzbZyZQ2HVaf-Pia2qlLCvpPHhrMVCbxPAtsb3yziSAetEfHyhjt9ET0pwzP-vKPI5xDRE8qY_lqwwjcXAR&c=nTn5bbfMnRzzAk5100f6y11dWCjY4ntkLqyV9tQpO7vVkEejVJ9XNg==&ch=-j40xDR0DifdelRiX92Q-T24QcBSV4thu4y20uUjyzRnt2toTrb2pQ==" style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">www.delnortehealthcare.org</a><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;">, email us at <a href="mailto:dnhcd@delnortehealth.com" target="_blank">dnhcd@delnortehealth.com</a>
or call us at 707-464-9494 from 8 am to 12 noon weekdays. The
Healthcare District Board thanks all the local officials and residents
who have supported our goal of accessible, affordable healthcare. Let’s
keep the momentum going!</span>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Written and approved by the Del Norte
Healthcare District Board of Directors. Previously published in The Del
Norte Triplicate, available at : </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0013EAVc0C1b6ZK25lyDz88y5SbJcLuoK--dcyTDhScDHbM4iLnB-wc6byi64X5f8CylZDtepdOMt_8VA3-jjyObd5MrIMasHRmp54finr0GaROSvf0NCE_pYG3vvPW4c75HB_ffD2xCj7DIG7w1I1CKfxtuCyyNjPkzQ9yKX_TO7jSdvc6RBrpuBTkMsRjO9Qk9FE2RC3RnE5R7MeK6OWZYrv_VNMwuTR0DKemIPwLf1Y%3D%26c%3DnTn5bbfMnRzzAk5100f6y11dWCjY4ntkLqyV9tQpO7vVkEejVJ9XNg%3D%3D%26ch%3D-j40xDR0DifdelRiX92Q-T24QcBSV4thu4y20uUjyzRnt2toTrb2pQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1544316103697000&usg=AFQjCNFOliT1FmyPpIlYN9GBYWWilTxWHQ" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0013EAVc0C1b6ZK25lyDz88y5SbJcLuoK--dcyTDhScDHbM4iLnB-wc6byi64X5f8CylZDtepdOMt_8VA3-jjyObd5MrIMasHRmp54finr0GaROSvf0NCE_pYG3vvPW4c75HB_ffD2xCj7DIG7w1I1CKfxtuCyyNjPkzQ9yKX_TO7jSdvc6RBrpuBTkMsRjO9Qk9FE2RC3RnE5R7MeK6OWZYrv_VNMwuTR0DKemIPwLf1Y=&c=nTn5bbfMnRzzAk5100f6y11dWCjY4ntkLqyV9tQpO7vVkEejVJ9XNg==&ch=-j40xDR0DifdelRiX92Q-T24QcBSV4thu4y20uUjyzRnt2toTrb2pQ==" style="color: #48a199; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Click to link to Del Norte Triplicate</a>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642294662648636628.post-23266653050276297232018-07-21T18:02:00.002-07:002018-07-21T18:02:33.289-07:00 From Crescent City to National Media – our History with Sutter Health by Kevin Caldwell, M.D.<div class="m_4747719384430084156text-container m_4747719384430084156galileo-ap-content-editor">
<div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">My relationship with Sutter Health
began in 1988, when I was Chief of Staff and a Board Member of Sutter
Coast Hospital in Crescent City, CA. At that time, our community enjoyed
a positive relationship with Sutter Health, which advertised itself as
“Community Based, Not for Profit.”</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">But in 2010, Sutter Health executives
decided it was time to end their former relationship with communities
across California. Sutter began dissolving local hospital boards and
moving hospital ownership to distant corporations entirely controlled by
Sutter Health.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">In 2010, I was again Chief of Staff
and a Board Member at Sutter Coast Hospital. Behind the closed doors of
the Hospital Board Room, it was clear that Sutter Health executives had
decided that dissolving our local Hospital Board, and moving hospital
ownership to San Francisco, was in Sutter’s best interest. Less clear to
me was that Sutter’s plan was in the best interest of our community. I
was also concerned that Sutter Health had started implementing patient
care policies at Sutter Coast Hospital without any input from the
hospital doctors. Sutter Coast no longer seemed “Community Based.”
Ultimately, the Joint Commission, (which certifies hospitals), cited
Sutter for misconduct regarding its patient care policies.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">Thanks to overwhelming community
support, we derailed Sutter Health’s plan to dissolve local ownership of
Sutter Coast Hospital. Today, Sutter Coast is the only community owned
and governed hospital in the entire Sutter system. According to hospital
CEO Mitch Hanna, “There are absolutely no plans to regionalize at this
time or in the foreseeable future.”</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">I remain profoundly grateful to our community and its elected leaders who stood together to stop Sutter Health.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">Today, our focus is on health care
costs. Any patient, employer, or insurer who pays for health care knows
the impact of Sutter’s charges on budgets. Sutter is facing multiple
lawsuits over its business practices, including allegations by the
California Attorney General that Sutter officials violated antitrust law
as they raised prices and funneled the profits into executive salaries:
</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2018/03/30/sutter-health-lawsuitcalifornia-hospital-consolidation/474742002/&source=gmail&ust=1532302448086000&usg=AFQjCNGc9KjioczGP57x2zYkpHhF1rnUEQ" href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2018/03/30/sutter-health-lawsuitcalifornia-hospital-consolidation/474742002/" target="_blank">https://www.usatoday.com/<wbr></wbr>story/news/nation/2018/03/30/<wbr></wbr>sutter-health-<wbr></wbr>lawsuitcalifornia-hospital-<wbr></wbr>consolidation/474742002/</a> </span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">Less well known is that in a separate antitrust lawsuit, Sutter officials intentionally destroyed 192 boxes of evidence: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2017/11/21/sutter-health-destroys-evidence/&source=gmail&ust=1532302448086000&usg=AFQjCNGZqUT3-Of9gTkhnI3iu_KryOEbvA" href="http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2017/11/21/sutter-health-destroys-evidence/" target="_blank">http://sacramento.cbslocal.<wbr></wbr>com/2017/11/21/sutter-health-<wbr></wbr>destroys-evidence/</a></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">This year, Sutter Health’s charges
were featured in the LA Times. The article includes some of our
community’s concerns with Sutter Health: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-sutter-health-prices-20180515-story.html&source=gmail&ust=1532302448086000&usg=AFQjCNFhsp-d2Iz_KH_3x92ttPc_4jF9Sw" href="https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-sutter-health-prices-20180515-story.html" target="_blank">https://www.latimes.com/<wbr></wbr>business/la-fi-sutter-health-<wbr></wbr>prices-20180515-story.html</a></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">If you would like to see more
accessible, affordable health care, here is how you can help: (1) Share
your concerns and ideas with me, or the Del Norte Healthcare District,
at <a href="mailto:dnhcd@delnortehealth.com" target="_blank">dnhcd@delnortehealth.com</a>, or by calling (707) 464-9494. The Healthcare District’s open public meetings are held at <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1804816890" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">6:30 p.m.</span></span> on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Wellness Center at <a href="https://maps.google.com/?q=550+E.+Washington+Blvd.,+suite+400&entry=gmail&source=g">550 E. Washington Blvd., suite 400</a>.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">(2) Share your hospital bills. You can
request an itemized hospital bill from Sutter Coast by calling (707)
464-8511 and asking for the billing department. Because Sutter officials
meet behind closed doors, and are refusing to release hospital meeting
records and finances, your hospital bills help us learn about Sutter’s
charges.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">(3) Talk to Sutter Coast Hospital
Board members, most of whom live in our community, and some of whom have
stated they want to represent the community’s interests. A list of
Hospital Board Members is found in the main lobby of Sutter Coast
Hospital.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">(4) Contact your elected
representatives. Report your concerns with outrageous heath care
charges, and demand an end to tax exempt status for organizations like
Sutter, which operate behind closed doors.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">Please share this article with your
friends, post on social media, and contact me if you would like to join
our volunteer effort to expand and improve health care in our community.
</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">Kevin Caldwell, M.D.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">Redwood Medical Offices</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">Crescent City, California</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">(707) 465-5566</span></div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642294662648636628.post-25154943284813646562018-04-25T20:07:00.002-07:002018-04-25T20:07:17.884-07:00Report: Del Norte Healthcare District Meeting with Sutter Coast Hospital Board of Directors<div class="m_4895110037418547746text-container m_4895110037418547746galileo-ap-content-editor">
<div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12px;">The following report was approved by the Del Norte Healthcare District Board:</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12px;"></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #403f42; font-size: 19px;">Inside the Hospital Board Room—With Unexpected Guests from Sutter Health</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="m_4895110037418547746gl-contains-text">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" class="m_4895110037418547746editor-text m_4895110037418547746article-text" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; padding: 10px 20px; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;" valign="top">
<div class="m_4895110037418547746text-container m_4895110037418547746galileo-ap-content-editor">
<div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Sutter Health's conduct in Crescent City is key to understanding how it created a healthcare monopoly in northern California</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 16px;">Last
month, after offering to work with Sutter Coast Hospital to provide
quality, affordable healthcare, Dr. Kevin Caldwell and I met with the
hospital Board of Directors.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 16px;">The
meeting was positive. When I asked the hospital Board who they
represent--Sutter Health or our community--several Board members stated
they represent the community. The Sutter Health executives on the
Board--hospital CEO Mitch Hanna and regional CEO Grant Davies--did not
answer the question.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 16px;">The
question of representation is key to understanding the conflict which
Sutter Health brought to our community, and to the creation of Sutter's
monopoly. What is good for Sutter Health is not always good for
communities. A brief history:</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 16px;">In 2011, behind closed doors, Sutter Health tried to take ownership of Sutter Coast Hospital. </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Is transferring hospital ownership to Sutter Health good for our community?</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 16px;">In
2013, in an effort to collect more fees from Medicare patients, Sutter
Health tried to downsize Sutter Coast into a Critical Access facility. </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Are higher fees and fewer beds good for our community? </span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 16px;">Sutter
Health claimed transfer of ownership and Critical Access were a
financial necessity. One Sutter executive threatened to close the
hospital if Sutter's plans were not enacted (I still have the audio
recording and meeting record). But after Sutter Coast posted millions in
profits, </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">without transfer of ownership or Critical Access</span><span style="font-size: 16px;">, Sutter's dire financial claims were proven false.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 16px;">Dr.
Caldwell and I asked the hospital Board to reassure the community that
transfer of ownership and Critical Access are off the table. </span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Now for the unexpected guests at our recent meeting:</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 16px;">After
the introductions of everyone present. I noticed a speaker phone in
front of my chair, but no one had announced their presence. I asked if
anyone was on the line. </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">To my surprise, two attorneys from Sutter Health were listening in.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 16px;">I
asked the Sutter Health attorneys who they represented--Sutter Health
or Sutter Coast Hospital. The attorneys declined to answer, stating it
was Sutter Health policy to not disclose the nature of their legal
representation to private parties. But Dr. Caldwell and I are not
"private parties." We are members of a California Special District,
elected to represent our constituents, attending the meeting in an
official capacity.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">I
believe the Sutter attorneys did not want to discuss their legal
representation because Sutter Health's attorneys played an important
role in the creation of their healthcare monopoly.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 16px;">Normally,
one attorney does not advise two parties during a change of property
ownership. Nevertheless, during Sutter Health's statewide hospital
merger known as "Regionalization," Sutter Health attorneys advised
hospital Boards to transfer hospital ownership to Sutter Health. Sutter
Coast Hospital (a separate corporation from Sutter Health) did not have
its own independent lawyer. </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Without their own attorney, how could a community Board make an informed decision about hospital ownership?</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 16px;">In
2012, I was a Board member of Sutter Coast Hospital. At that time, a
Sutter Health attorney confirmed he represented Sutter Health--not
Sutter Coast Hospital. I was troubled by the fact that Sutter Health
was using its executives and attorneys to convince the Sutter Coast
Board to dissolve itself and transfer hospital ownership to Sutter
Health's regional corporation. I thought Sutter Coast should have its
own attorney, as described in the hospital bylaws. Nevertheless, Sutter
Health was using its salaried attorney-executive to transfer ownership
of Sutter Coast to Sutter Health. </span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 16px;">It
appears Sutter Health used its own attorneys to transfer ownership and
control of its statewide affiliated hospitals to Sutter Health's
regional corporations. Sutter Health's merger coincided with higher
prices to consumers and vast increases in executive pay. </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Are higher prices and higher executive pay good for communities?</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 16px;">Today,
thanks to thousands of local residents who opposed Sutter's
Regionalization plan, Sutter Coast remains the only locally owned and
governed hospital in the Sutter Health system. </span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Feel free to forward this letter to interested parties, and post on social media.</span><span style="font-size: 16px;"> We will keep you up to date with future newsletters, and please visit our website at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://delnortehealthcare.org&source=gmail&ust=1524783710385000&usg=AFQjCNERoDNJln-mxsb0_OsbtCIK-iopHg" href="http://delnortehealthcare.org/" target="_blank">delnortehealthcare.org</a>.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 16px;">Sincerely,</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 16px;">Gregory J. Duncan, M.D.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 16px;">Chair, Del Norte Healthcare District </span></div>
</div>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<img alt="" border="0" class="CToWUd" height="1" hspace="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjdIjnTwWiGqxRJsyjPkKhQwdpxPjn4HBkHqr5HWlkls_wj25QC60hisUYan7O9jBY2xPZMM2Syol7_EdfYTP-jbfzpdaiMS7orA39-vsgxnyYi-fssrMXzmvAg6UI_WJ9-fJTT85XVSPDJZjLsMVRZ8Xh-5qkxRQUaRpU=s0-d-e1-ft" style="display: block; height: 1px; width: 5px;" vspace="0" width="5" /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642294662648636628.post-9460285959233440562017-08-10T14:45:00.001-07:002017-08-10T14:45:47.275-07:00New York Times article - The Company Behind Many Surprise Emergency Room Bills Link:<br />
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/24/upshot/the-company-behind-many-surprise-emergency-room-bills.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news" target="_blank">New York Times article -The Company Behind Many Surprise Emergency Room Bills</a><br />
<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642294662648636628.post-54986518111976734332017-04-26T10:44:00.000-07:002017-04-26T10:44:08.859-07:00ER Greed--Profiting Off the Vulnerable<div>
<span style="color: blue; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Note:
Please attend the upcoming Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday,
April 25th, 10 a.m., 981 H St., Crescent City, to share your views and
hear about the Joint Resolution on healthcare costs</strong></span></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_2710526303567441715CC_Divider" style="margin: 0px auto 0px auto; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" class="m_2710526303567441715DividerPadding" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="height: 1px; line-height: 1px; padding: 8px 20px 9px 20px;" valign="top" width="100%">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="height: 1px; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#403F42" class="m_2710526303567441715DividerHeight m_2710526303567441715DividerBGColor" colspan="1" height="1" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #403f42; height: 1px; line-height: 1px; padding-bottom: 0px;"><img alt="" border="0" class="CToWUd" height="1" hspace="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjdIjnTwWiGqxRJsyjPkKhQwdpxPjn4HBkHqr5HWlkls_wj25QC60hisUYan7O9jBY2xPZMM2Syol7_EdfYTP-jbfzpdaiMS7orA39-vsgxnyYi-fssrMXzmvAg6UI_WJ9-fJTT85XVSPDJZjLsMVRZ8Xh-5qkxRQUaRpU=s0-d-e1-ft" style="display: block; height: 1px; width: 5px;" vspace="0" width="5" /></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The $2,054 ER Doctor Bill</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><strong>Anyone
treated at the Sutter Coast Hospital Emergency Room may find their
doctor bill hurts more than their injury. Pateints are being charged
over $2,000 for visits described as lasting under 10 minutes. The ER
doctor bills are over 10 times the amount allowed by Blue Cross or
Medicare, and do not include Sutter's charges, which are often an
additional several thousand dollars. Adding to the injury, the ER
doctors are "out of network" for most local insurance plans, which means
you must pay the outrageous charges until your separate, out of network
deductible, is met. </strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><strong> </strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><strong>How did
such profiteering come to Crescent City? By way of an exclusive
contract between Sutter Coast Hospital (a locally owned "non-profit"
corporation) and EmCare Holdings, Inc. (a national "for-profit"
corporation). </strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><strong> </strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><strong>EmCare
would not be here if not for our local hospital Board of Directors,
which approved the contract. In fairness, the hospital Board may have
been unaware of EmCare's conduct when Sutter Health recommended EmCare.
As a former hospital Board member, I know the deceptive ways of Sutter
Health executives and attorneys. In the Board room, Sutter's leaders
would frequently plead poverty while neglecting to mention the $4
billion in the Sutter Health Treasury, or their own multimillion dollar
salaries. For example, Sutter Regional President Martin Brotman (the
doctor/executive who convinced our hospital Board to give the hospital
to Sutter Health for nothing in return), collected a tidy $4.2 million
annual salary from Sutter Health.</strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><strong><br /></strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><strong>I have many
examples of Sutter Health's deception--more than 100 documents,
collected during my years on the hospital Board, containing false
statements by Sutter Health executives as they attempted to take
hospital ownership and triple the charges on Medicare patients. During
that time, Sutter <strong style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px;">Coast was operating illegally, without a CFO, so we as a Board had no one to turn to with our financial questions.</strong> Fortunately,
our community saw through the deception, forcing Sutter Health
executives like CEO Pat Fry (the six million dollar per year man) and
Regional President Mike Cohill to set aside the decisions they had made
for our community.</strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><strong><br /></strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><strong>Whether or
not the Sutter Coast Board knew of EmCare's ways, Sutter Health
executives certainly did know. Both hospital CEO Mitch Hanna and
hospital administrator Carlos Priestly have acknowledged, during
recorded public meetings, that they knew of EmCare's out of network
billing status. Unfortunately, the Sutter executives did not inform the
ER patients about EmCare. Patients learned when their bills arrived. </strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><strong><br /></strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The truth about EmCare is spreading.
This Tuesday, April 25th, the County Board of Supervisors will discuss a
resolution addressing healthcare costs (see above). Drafted by a
committee of city and county elected officials, the Joint Resolution
asks the Sutter Coast Board to terminate its contract with EmCare, in
addition to releasing hospital meeting records and financial statements
for public review. Sutter Health and its affiliate "charitable"
corporations operate in secret, rendering unverifiable their claims of
providing charitable care. Should not the privilege of tax exemption
confer the obligation of public disclosure?</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Supported by people of all ages,
backgrounds, and political affiliations, our effort to end healthcare
overcharges is working. To share your ideas, receive this newsletter,
or obtain a confidential review of your hospital bill, contact me at <a href="mailto:gregoryduncan1200@gmail.com" target="_blank">gregoryduncan1200@gmail.com</a> or call <a href="tel:%28707%29%20465-1126" target="_blank" value="+17074651126">(707) 465-1126</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We don't have
Sutter's advertising budget, attorneys, public relations teams,
consultants, lobbyists, or billions in cash. But we do have the truth.
I look forward to hearing from you.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Gregory J. Duncan, M.D.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Diplomate, American Board of Orthopedic Surgery</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">
<div style="line-height: 13.55pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: .9in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>(Disclaimer:
This article represents my views as a physician and not my roles as
Chief of Surgery at Sutter Coast Hospital or Director of the Del Norte
Healthcare District.)</i></span></div>
</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642294662648636628.post-22484689262627043152017-04-12T09:51:00.001-07:002017-04-12T09:51:12.326-07:00Healthcare, Jobs, and Profiteers<div>
<span>Tired of Overpriced Healthcare? Join Us.</span></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="m_-3782547968429001264yiv5100122561content_LETTER.BLOCK19" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" class="m_-3782547968429001264yiv5100122561Content m_-3782547968429001264yiv5100122561MainText" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: #403f42; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; padding: 8px 20px 9px 20px;" valign="top">
<div>
If you want quality, affordable healthcare, please read on. You
will learn how Sutter Health profiteers are driving up your co-pays,
deductibles, premiums, and out of pocket maximums--all while operating
as a tax exempt charity. Together, we can end the injustice.</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="m_-3782547968429001264yiv5100122561content_LETTER.BLOCK20" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="center" class="m_-3782547968429001264yiv5100122561Content" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: black; padding: 8px 20px 9px 20px;" valign="top"><strong>Special
Note: U.S. Congressman Jared Huffman will be in Crescent City this
Monday, April 10, 5:15 p.m. at Crescent Elk Auditorium, 994 G St.,
Crescent City<br />Please join me to share your thoughts on healthcare with Rep. Jared Huffman </strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-3782547968429001264yiv5100122561CC_Divider" style="margin: 0px auto 0px auto; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" class="m_-3782547968429001264yiv5100122561DividerPadding" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="height: 1px; line-height: 1px; padding: 8px 20px 9px 20px;" valign="top" width="100%">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="height: 1px; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#403F42" class="m_-3782547968429001264yiv5100122561DividerHeight m_-3782547968429001264yiv5100122561DividerBGColor" colspan="1" height="1" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #403f42; height: 1px; line-height: 1px; padding-bottom: 0px;"><img alt="" border="0" class="CToWUd" height="1" hspace="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjdIjnTwWiGqxRJsyjPkKhQwdpxPjn4HBkHqr5HWlkls_wj25QC60hisUYan7O9jBY2xPZMM2Syol7_EdfYTP-jbfzpdaiMS7orA39-vsgxnyYi-fssrMXzmvAg6UI_WJ9-fJTT85XVSPDJZjLsMVRZ8Xh-5qkxRQUaRpU=s0-d-e1-ft" style="display: block; height: 1px; width: 5px;" vspace="0" width="5" /></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="m_-3782547968429001264yiv5100122561ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: #09a3ba; font-family: Arial; font-size: 22pt; font-weight: bold;">
<strong style="color: #403f42;">Healthcare, Jobs, and Profiteers </strong></div>
<div style="font-size: 20pt;">
<strong style="font-size: 12pt;">by Gregory Duncan, M.D.</strong><strong style="font-size: 20pt;"> </strong></div>
<div style="font-size: 20pt;">
<strong style="font-size: 20pt;"><br /></strong></div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<em><strong>Thanks to the Del Norte Triplicate, where the following article was originally published: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001yc93Te-yys8cT1CukOPkaULF15NAfL0l_CaxFIluaH0CWrgU42rZWRFenwq05MXiBR2YlvMU2UisMolDg3pPU4dAoIfpiRM6ZjM1jsIQ0kjjVBK78onpW8hL-4yHBPguOfPMDehbrT9r34EBaHVSwogOWl_LA3Y-gHzAKqFYfHPqbmFBQaj0dyK5aIeBH0YF3p2pmtrcltUixqQ7X31DRSSarb-_DMfAiSN_YNQHK-OGTrHNETLfJ4vGTR5zZI_AMAvVzaA7xGw%3D%26c%3DedJH7c-WJFMCDOB9W5IYh895VH9TuWAtHtQt0rCmYSaWfqhdsyf-PA%3D%3D%26ch%3DyUZJEwkCBonwh9fnSabj81MrMbfD5OMnTTV2NSBd6iRq7AxjrF1Hpw%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1492102104708000&usg=AFQjCNEPdsTBgCmqi9fTXELuYbq_LEy8PA" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yc93Te-yys8cT1CukOPkaULF15NAfL0l_CaxFIluaH0CWrgU42rZWRFenwq05MXiBR2YlvMU2UisMolDg3pPU4dAoIfpiRM6ZjM1jsIQ0kjjVBK78onpW8hL-4yHBPguOfPMDehbrT9r34EBaHVSwogOWl_LA3Y-gHzAKqFYfHPqbmFBQaj0dyK5aIeBH0YF3p2pmtrcltUixqQ7X31DRSSarb-_DMfAiSN_YNQHK-OGTrHNETLfJ4vGTR5zZI_AMAvVzaA7xGw=&c=edJH7c-WJFMCDOB9W5IYh895VH9TuWAtHtQt0rCmYSaWfqhdsyf-PA==&ch=yUZJEwkCBonwh9fnSabj81MrMbfD5OMnTTV2NSBd6iRq7AxjrF1Hpw==" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Click here to read Triplicate article</a> </strong></em></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><em> </em></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Healthcare costs are out of
control. In turn, insurance premiums have skyrocketed. Businesses are
paying higher workers' compensation rates. As employment costs rise,
wage growth stalls and jobs are outsourced. Patients face high
deductibles and more "out of pocket" fees. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Rather than addressing the problem
(costs), healthcare legislation has simply shifted the costs onto others
(cost shifting). Insurance companies pass the cost onto employers and
workers. Public health programs shift the cost onto taxpayers and
increase the national debt. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Healthcare cost shifting is rampant
in Del Norte County. Sutter Coast is the only hospital in the county,
and is using its monopoly to charge high prices. As a former hospital
Board member, I can report that Sutter's fee increases were so stealthy,
I was initially unaware of the pattern. <strong>But thanks to patients
who provided their hospital bills, I discovered Sutter Coast Hospital
is charging up to ten times more than other local providers for
identical tests, and thousands of dollars more for imaging studies and
procedures (as compared to neighboring hospitals). </strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">How is Sutter able to charge high
fees? Market power. Sutter's statewide takeover of community owned
hospitals provided the market power needed to raise prices on insurers,
union trust funds, government, and individuals. At the same time,
Sutter Health claims a charitable tax exemption, allowing it to escape
millions in taxes locally, and billions statewide. It's a great business
model--for Sutter executives and attorneys. During my two years on the
Sutter Coast Board, Sutter Health reported profits exceeding $1
billion. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Executive pay at Sutter Health also
rose--former CEO Pat Fry saw his multimillion dollar salary triple
during Sutter Health's statewide hospital takeover. <strong>Mr. Fry's
retirement year salary was $7.5 million, not including fringe benefits,
such as paid membership to a "social/business club," and his hiring
family members for lucrative jobs at Sutter Health.</strong> Now you know where your Sutter payments go--multimillion dollar salaries, nepotism, and "We Plus You" signs across California.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Sutter's Board meetings are closed
to the public. Sutter Health executives have refused official record
requests from our County Supervisors and City Council. Tax law requires
Sutter to operate <i>exclusively</i> for charitable purposes. I ask readers: Is Sutter operating <i>exclusively</i> for charitable purposes? Should tax exempt charities be permitted to operate in secret?</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The latest chapter in high fees at
Sutter Coast Hospital involves a corporation called EmCare. Under an
exclusive contract provided by Sutter Coast, EmCare is operating "out of
network" (meaning the ER doctors are not preferred providers for most
local insurance plans) and is charging thousands of dollars for a single
doctor visit. <strong>For a high complexity visit, Medicare allows
$176. For the same service, EmCare charges $2,054. EmCare's "out of
network" status means its inflated fees are applied to your separate,
out of network deductible (which means you must pay them).</strong>
Sutter Health executives are aware of EmCare's out of network status,
but are not notifying patients. This month, I asked Sutter Coast to
cancel its contract with EmCare.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Sutter Coast CEO Mitch Hanna
publicly stated my effort is a "witch hunt." I understand Mr. Hanna's
need to point fingers and change the subject. Sutter Health is
enriching him and his fellow executives. Lacking any justification for
Sutter's high prices, Mr. Hanna resorts to name calling. Expect more
name calling from healthcare profiteers as harm to patients is exposed.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Overpriced healthcare hurts us all,
which is why so many joined our successful effort to stop Sutter from
tripling out of pocket charges on Medicare patients. Recall the
hospital pickets and Town Hall meetings where Republican, Democrat, and
Tea Party members stood shoulder to shoulder in support of stopping
Sutter Health executives from enacting their plans on our community.
Your support forced a multibillion dollar corporation to change course.
Statewide, union leaders and businesses are supporting our effort.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">If you are tired of overpriced
healthcare, please join us. To receive a confidential review of your
hospital bill, or share your ideas, contact me at <strong><a href="mailto:gregoryduncan1200@gmail.com" target="_blank">gregoryduncan1200@gmail.com</a> </strong>or call<strong> <a href="tel:%28707%29%20465-1126" target="_blank" value="+17074651126">(707) 465-1126</a>.</strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Please join our bipartisan,
grassroots effort for affordable healthcare. I thank everyone who put
me in office, and I look forward to hearing from you.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>(Disclaimer: This article
represents my views as a physician and not my roles as Chief of Surgery
at Sutter Coast Hospital or Director of the Del Norte Healthcare
District.)</i></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Gregory Duncan, M.D.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642294662648636628.post-57595399318469711712017-02-27T20:10:00.003-08:002017-02-27T20:11:32.565-08:00Investigation reveals massive fees at Sutter Health monopoly hospital<div>
<span style="color: black;">Investigation reveals massive fees at Sutter Health monopoly hospital</span></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682content_LETTER.BLOCK5" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682Content m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682MainText" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; padding: 8px 20px 9px 20px;" valign="top"><div>
<i><b>Learn the facts behind Sutter Health's high charges while it operates as a tax exempt charity</b></i></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682CC_Divider" style="margin: 0px auto 0px auto; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682DividerPadding" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="height: 1px; line-height: 1px; padding: 8px 20px 9px 20px;" valign="top" width="100%"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="height: 1px; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#403F42" class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682DividerHeight m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682DividerBGColor" colspan="1" height="1" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #403f42; height: 1px; line-height: 1px; padding-bottom: 0px;"><img alt="" border="0" class="CToWUd" height="1" hspace="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjdIjnTwWiGqxRJsyjPkKhQwdpxPjn4HBkHqr5HWlkls_wj25QC60hisUYan7O9jBY2xPZMM2Syol7_EdfYTP-jbfzpdaiMS7orA39-vsgxnyYi-fssrMXzmvAg6UI_WJ9-fJTT85XVSPDJZjLsMVRZ8Xh-5qkxRQUaRpU=s0-d-e1-ft" style="display: block; height: 1px; width: 5px;" vspace="0" width="5" /></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682content_LETTER.BLOCK7" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticlePadding m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682MainText" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: #403f42; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; padding: 8px 20px 9px 20px;" valign="top"><div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">
<b>
</b>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Whether
you have private insurance or Medicare, you will pay much more at
Sutter Health hospitals. Research comparing fees at regional healthcare
facilities, including Sutter Coast Hospital, shows charges and "out of
pocket" costs are highest at Sutter, by far. From x-ray, MRI, and lab
tests, to surgical procedures and doctor fees, you pay more at Sutter:</span></b></div>
<b>
</b></div>
<div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: #09a3ba; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">
<b style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">
The
charge for knee x-rays at my office is $84, which includes the doctor's
fee to interpret the x-ray findings (known as the "reading fee").
Medicare allows $38 for taking the x-rays and reading the study.
Sutter's charge for the same x-rays at their facility in Brookings,
Oregon, not including the reading fee, is $181. For the same x-rays at
Sutter Coast Hospital, not including the reading fee, Sutter charges
$515.</div>
<div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">
<br /></div>
<div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">
The
pattern is similar for laboratory tests. At a reference lab less than
one mile from Sutter Coast Hospital, the bill for a blood test for liver
function was $18. Sutter's bill for the same test was $117. </div>
<div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">
<br /></div>
<div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">
For
MRI, surgical procedures, and colonoscopy, Sutter's charges are even
higher--thousands of dollars more than other providers. If you need
urgent care, consider these reports from ER patients at Sutter Coast:</div>
<div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">
<br /></div>
<div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">
--doctor bills exceeding $2,000 for less than 10 minutes with the doctor</div>
<div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">
--a $595 fee for the ER doctor to apply a brace</div>
<div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">--patients routinely subjected to unnecessary tests </span></div>
<div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">
<br /></div>
<div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Why is this important? Because overpriced healthcare harms us all: </b></span></div>
<div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">
<ul>
<li>high health insurance premiums reduce employee wages</li>
<li>out of pocket healthcare costs hurt individuals and families</li>
<li>expensive healthcare drives jobs overseas</li>
<li>healthcare overcharges erode retirement and trust fund budgets</li>
<li>Sutter's charges raise worker's compensation costs to businesses</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Q. How can Sutter charge higher fees?</b></span><b style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </b></div>
<div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">
<b style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">A. Market power. Sutter Health's market power and high fees have gained national attention: <a alt="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/03/health/as-hospital-costs-soar-single-stitch-tops-500.html" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001lAEOaLGXOSPvj2Vh4lc_q__IHEBPBYqvVNA06JlL0h3D0c5j6RZW7AbQVI_Iq7SNmfWxKlNtkBnawjzj5ryo_wSlSbXvVfptANjnUAveUNn7rFLKfbolZkyjed4yoTiIn7N9fEDTpJ_5aDjxRr0cQVdxTOfYW2Ab6wJJMxoOwgJRr9bwQRcXcO2BA_9rDP3oj8aLdyg-ZA0NqYhKy27m6etP7JC0uuhEWdwr7_v8DgRyxHRj4VyuLFrXKTugGRQwlAAFGHDB6AUBHFXHmo5vcw%3D%3D%26c%3DMrMcTG2kdI-RqyxHOyJAj9i_K71Gwxvok28rk3xwKDr9Ou1WXJxrFQ%3D%3D%26ch%3Dw_dn1nkswlPNmJcAvoNyys5vlSHWhokhJfwWf7HozvkR6kHN2PKDwg%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1488340125038000&usg=AFQjCNH44AMspSsJuTZ5T3LgDhnm-sFY3g" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001lAEOaLGXOSPvj2Vh4lc_q__IHEBPBYqvVNA06JlL0h3D0c5j6RZW7AbQVI_Iq7SNmfWxKlNtkBnawjzj5ryo_wSlSbXvVfptANjnUAveUNn7rFLKfbolZkyjed4yoTiIn7N9fEDTpJ_5aDjxRr0cQVdxTOfYW2Ab6wJJMxoOwgJRr9bwQRcXcO2BA_9rDP3oj8aLdyg-ZA0NqYhKy27m6etP7JC0uuhEWdwr7_v8DgRyxHRj4VyuLFrXKTugGRQwlAAFGHDB6AUBHFXHmo5vcw==&c=MrMcTG2kdI-RqyxHOyJAj9i_K71Gwxvok28rk3xwKDr9Ou1WXJxrFQ==&ch=w_dn1nkswlPNmJcAvoNyys5vlSHWhokhJfwWf7HozvkR6kHN2PKDwg==" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12<wbr></wbr>/03/health/as-hospital-costs-<wbr></wbr>soar-single-stitch-tops-500.<wbr></wbr>html</a> </b></div>
<div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">
<b style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">
<b style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">In
Crescent City, Sutter Coast Hospital receives an annual $2 million
federal subsidy as a "sole community provider." Its monopoly status
also allows the hospital to charge higher fees to patients. </b></b></div>
<div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">
<b style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></b></b></div>
<div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">
<b style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Q. Do Sutter's profits stay local?</b></b></div>
<div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">
<b style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">A.
No. Every two weeks, Sutter Health transfers all local hospital
profits to the "Sutter Health Treasury." Sutter executives nearly
tripled their salaries after taking ownership of locally owned
hospitals.</b></b></div>
<div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">
<b style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">
<b style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Q. Can Sutter's high fees be addressed?</b></div>
<div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">
<b style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">A. Yes, with your help (see below). Sutter is already reacting to growing opposition over its business practices:</b></div>
<div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">
<br /></div>
<div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">
<span style="color: black;">Be
aware of Sutter Health public relations campaigns. When you see the
advertisements, remember they are crafted to divert your attention away
from Sutter's high charges and misuse of its tax exemption. Also
remember who is funding Sutter's PR campaign--anyone who goes to Sutter,
pays for health insurance, or pays taxes. Sutter's "charity" status
allows it to avoid taxation while accessing billions in tax exempt
bonds. </span></div>
<div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">
<br /></div>
<div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">
<a alt="http://crescentcityhospital.blogspot.com/" class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682MainLink" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001lAEOaLGXOSPvj2Vh4lc_q__IHEBPBYqvVNA06JlL0h3D0c5j6RZW7GaHS_3QzYYCHCduTc3P-J2icOK6itaNlByhdK9K7wY6ViLhPLP32RLyDC1J-0P9XWOnhQ287KMTTBSgbRXOqxcNvGR1nbUktN40qeQAQKwgJ85oZ1M3GmAwzrqve9M2JFFNs0Ysxxhu%26c%3DMrMcTG2kdI-RqyxHOyJAj9i_K71Gwxvok28rk3xwKDr9Ou1WXJxrFQ%3D%3D%26ch%3Dw_dn1nkswlPNmJcAvoNyys5vlSHWhokhJfwWf7HozvkR6kHN2PKDwg%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1488340125038000&usg=AFQjCNEyGCslmVAIamG_qCHN29w9yX4qoQ" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001lAEOaLGXOSPvj2Vh4lc_q__IHEBPBYqvVNA06JlL0h3D0c5j6RZW7GaHS_3QzYYCHCduTc3P-J2icOK6itaNlByhdK9K7wY6ViLhPLP32RLyDC1J-0P9XWOnhQ287KMTTBSgbRXOqxcNvGR1nbUktN40qeQAQKwgJ85oZ1M3GmAwzrqve9M2JFFNs0Ysxxhu&c=MrMcTG2kdI-RqyxHOyJAj9i_K71Gwxvok28rk3xwKDr9Ou1WXJxrFQ==&ch=w_dn1nkswlPNmJcAvoNyys5vlSHWhokhJfwWf7HozvkR6kHN2PKDwg==" shape="rect" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Click here to read past newsletters</a></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682CC_Divider" style="margin: 0px auto 0px auto; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682DividerPadding" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="height: 1px; line-height: 1px; padding: 8px 20px 9px 20px;" valign="top" width="100%"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="height: 1px; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#403F42" class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682DividerHeight m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682DividerBGColor" colspan="1" height="1" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #403f42; height: 1px; line-height: 1px; padding-bottom: 0px;"><img alt="" border="0" class="CToWUd" height="1" hspace="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjdIjnTwWiGqxRJsyjPkKhQwdpxPjn4HBkHqr5HWlkls_wj25QC60hisUYan7O9jBY2xPZMM2Syol7_EdfYTP-jbfzpdaiMS7orA39-vsgxnyYi-fssrMXzmvAg6UI_WJ9-fJTT85XVSPDJZjLsMVRZ8Xh-5qkxRQUaRpU=s0-d-e1-ft" style="display: block; height: 1px; width: 5px;" vspace="0" width="5" /></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682content_LETTER.BLOCK9" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticlePadding m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682MainText" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: #403f42; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; padding: 8px 20px 9px 20px;" valign="top"><div class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">
What Can You Do To Help?</div>
<br />
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<b>1. <b style="color: #403f42; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px;">Share this newsletter with interested friends, and post on Facebook. </b></b></div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<b>2. Ask Sutter for your itemized bill. For a confidential review of your charges, s<b style="color: #403f42; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px;">end me your <b>hospital bills. I have found overcharges and fees for services not provided, forcing Sutter to issue refunds.</b></b></b></div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<b>3. Share your healthcare ideas and concerns with me. Email <a href="mailto:gregoryduncan1200@gmail.com" target="_blank">gregoryduncan1200@gmail.com</a>, <b style="color: #403f42; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px;">c<wbr></wbr>all <a href="tel:%28707%29%20465-1126" target="_blank" value="+17074651126">707-465-1126</a>, or stop by my office at 1200 Marshall Street in Crescent City to pick up flyers and sign our petition. </b></b></div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
</div>
<span style="color: #000090; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"><b><a alt="http://kfugradio.org/wordpress1/2016/05/16/dr-greg-duncan-talks-sutter-health/" class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682MainLink" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001lAEOaLGXOSPvj2Vh4lc_q__IHEBPBYqvVNA06JlL0h3D0c5j6RZW7OXk4wO-CP0NsBsQCedQFbQrfBnFbFuKmbM9WOZlBiRdKaynvpD5J9OejnVjzC4z2jqKaR9ISk5uDRXl61al0yC0-Pjgds5yvPKlBg0XkyhRPGms5xIQi9qHcoloZS_9csfgNDrwefzsZ6_c1gYCC7L9t4itnCwjvVF56nvoF0WSPIAeaGP0mK0uNwbLhz4mxFGnIpIvjJRX%26c%3DMrMcTG2kdI-RqyxHOyJAj9i_K71Gwxvok28rk3xwKDr9Ou1WXJxrFQ%3D%3D%26ch%3Dw_dn1nkswlPNmJcAvoNyys5vlSHWhokhJfwWf7HozvkR6kHN2PKDwg%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1488340125038000&usg=AFQjCNGPm8zoc7BqwCpXFja81ZhgRvfdRg" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001lAEOaLGXOSPvj2Vh4lc_q__IHEBPBYqvVNA06JlL0h3D0c5j6RZW7OXk4wO-CP0NsBsQCedQFbQrfBnFbFuKmbM9WOZlBiRdKaynvpD5J9OejnVjzC4z2jqKaR9ISk5uDRXl61al0yC0-Pjgds5yvPKlBg0XkyhRPGms5xIQi9qHcoloZS_9csfgNDrwefzsZ6_c1gYCC7L9t4itnCwjvVF56nvoF0WSPIAeaGP0mK0uNwbLhz4mxFGnIpIvjJRX&c=MrMcTG2kdI-RqyxHOyJAj9i_K71Gwxvok28rk3xwKDr9Ou1WXJxrFQ==&ch=w_dn1nkswlPNmJcAvoNyys5vlSHWhokhJfwWf7HozvkR6kHN2PKDwg==" shape="rect" style="color: #000090; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Click here to listen to my radio interview covering the history of Sutter Health</a></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #000090; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 14pt;">
<span style="color: #000090;">Next
issue: Sutter Health's executive salaries and public relations
campaigns, all funded with your healthcare dollars and Sutter's
tax-exempt treasury</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #000090; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #000090; font-size: 11pt;"><i><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 12.84px;">Disclaimer:
This publication reflects my personal views and is not representative
of my roles as a member of the Del Norte Healthcare District Board, or
as Chief of Surgery at Sutter Coast Hospital.</b></i></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" class="m_2787560294446656705m_-2864356312415933682SpacerHeight" colspan="1" height="1" rowspan="1" style="height: 1px; line-height: 1px; padding-bottom: 9px;"><img alt="" border="0" class="CToWUd" height="1" hspace="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjdIjnTwWiGqxRJsyjPkKhQwdpxPjn4HBkHqr5HWlkls_wj25QC60hisUYan7O9jBY2xPZMM2Syol7_EdfYTP-jbfzpdaiMS7orA39-vsgxnyYi-fssrMXzmvAg6UI_WJ9-fJTT85XVSPDJZjLsMVRZ8Xh-5qkxRQUaRpU=s0-d-e1-ft" style="display: block; height: 1px; width: 5px;" vspace="0" width="5" /></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #000090; font-size: 11pt;"><b>Gregory J. Duncan, M.D.| <a href="tel:%28707%29%20465-1126" target="_blank" value="+17074651126">(707) 465-1126</a> | <a href="mailto:gregoryduncan1200@gmail.com" target="_blank">gregoryduncan1200@gmail.com</a>| <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://crescentcityhospital.blogspot.com/&source=gmail&ust=1488340125038000&usg=AFQjCNGhw7e-U65_ApOEsyDiA9AeCCbj-w" href="http://crescentcityhospital.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://crescentcityhospital.bl<wbr></wbr>ogspot.com/</a></b></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642294662648636628.post-44807143911353299342017-01-19T21:33:00.003-08:002017-01-19T21:33:50.023-08:00It's Time to Address the High Cost of Care<div class="m_-256512812651537411ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: #585858; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 18pt;">It's Time to Address the High Cost of Care</span></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="m_-256512812651537411content_LETTER.BLOCK19" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="center" class="m_-256512812651537411Content" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: black; padding: 8px 20px 9px 20px;" valign="top">
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-decoration: underline;">High Fees, Out of Network ER Doctors Raise Your Out of Pocket Costs</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For
years, patients have been paying high fees at Sutter Coast Hospital,
along with inflated charges to the hospital's "out of network" ER
doctors. It's time for the high fees to end.</span></div>
<div align="left" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sutter
Health has received national attention for its high patient care
charges. See this NY Times article on the inflated charges at Sutter's
hospital in San Francisco: </span><a alt="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/03/health/as-hospital-costs-soar-single-stitch-tops-500.html" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001obUu95Ys0y-afcXPMsBddtn8D8dUOg4mSWzdnXOsRRkF-a3Ks-8ldHE5GQJKXHI4cfzTfNf-OmSLNu9v3AImPgpqChAw0WSr0xd5qRofYI_eZQXWP9sZ6WwZOTr6BCub9gtlIQRjHYMyhWiY_KQUlKthF7Lm8L75cJfIf0Ji8ZtyrArvAOl7xiADs7gY9M72szBtSEpU0PkDt6eTOJG2ZYFBNC9xDhftUuBeUTV3aJ2hkZyTHOUl0OayArlkVxOzwrOoKLs-i600uGgQLpNsbg%3D%3D%26c%3Dcw24ngrT4n-ZFHlrbSJ353GeUW2VHyuC9QPQRdMjcyx-GYDuiUDg9g%3D%3D%26ch%3DmXhTcpDhlH3vIU3cDZdHIYfqBbYnRgEqbSO7gPgGoFYVG2zgsl1e6A%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1484976681149000&usg=AFQjCNFIZyq-f2H-Pxcr2Ic6PhqtQKdqSg" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001obUu95Ys0y-afcXPMsBddtn8D8dUOg4mSWzdnXOsRRkF-a3Ks-8ldHE5GQJKXHI4cfzTfNf-OmSLNu9v3AImPgpqChAw0WSr0xd5qRofYI_eZQXWP9sZ6WwZOTr6BCub9gtlIQRjHYMyhWiY_KQUlKthF7Lm8L75cJfIf0Ji8ZtyrArvAOl7xiADs7gY9M72szBtSEpU0PkDt6eTOJG2ZYFBNC9xDhftUuBeUTV3aJ2hkZyTHOUl0OayArlkVxOzwrOoKLs-i600uGgQLpNsbg==&c=cw24ngrT4n-ZFHlrbSJ353GeUW2VHyuC9QPQRdMjcyx-GYDuiUDg9g==&ch=mXhTcpDhlH3vIU3cDZdHIYfqBbYnRgEqbSO7gPgGoFYVG2zgsl1e6A==" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">http://www.nytimes.com/2013/<wbr></wbr>12/03/health/as-hospital-<wbr></wbr>costs-soar-single-stitch-tops-<wbr></wbr>500.html</a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></div>
<div align="left" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As
a first step in addressing local healthcare costs, I am compiling a
list of fees for common procedures at local clinics and Sutter Coast
Hospital. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 17.12px;">Thus
far, Sutter Coast has not provided any of the data I requested on their
fees. However, using data from bills provided by patients, <strong>Sutter's charges are much higher than other facilities--</strong></span><strong>up to 10 times higher</strong> for lab tests compared to the reference lab on 1771 Northcrest Blvd. <strong>Colonscopy charges are roughly three times higher at Sutter Coast compared to Medford, OR.</strong> MRI scans at Sutter are roughly double the cost of the same study in surrounding communities. </span></div>
<div align="left" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial',' Helvetica',' sans-serif';"><strong>In Crescent City, in addition to Sutter's fees, we have another problem:</strong>
The contract Sutter Coast signed with its ER physicians allows the
doctors to charge patients "out of network" rates, as was confirmed last
week by <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 17.12px;">Sutter Coast Hospital administrator Carlos</span> Priestly. Please see the 12/29/16 article by Jessica Cejnar in </span><span style="font-family: 'Arial',' Helvetica',' sans-serif';"><em>The Del Norte Triplicate </em>for </span>more details: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 17.12px;"><a alt="http://www.triplicate.com/news/4940194-151/duncan-hopes-to-tackle-patient-" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001obUu95Ys0y-afcXPMsBddtn8D8dUOg4mSWzdnXOsRRkF-a3Ks-8ldHE5GQJKXHI4W7vVnyClcIghbdVcf27kfHrpBWqey6fbRXUpE3R3f94wz8gXHGtS9PmhdKGHVCAsDSy_ZyqVjj41P07fpR9JRy1njqkDWWY2IXjX3ZneoamfdMfm9CYSJTmregNlnfr74Qb-lngz4540Zz1MTrdVxbrZbOYa1ktqVfRsfaNyR26bgijSD-TRTQ%3D%3D%26c%3Dcw24ngrT4n-ZFHlrbSJ353GeUW2VHyuC9QPQRdMjcyx-GYDuiUDg9g%3D%3D%26ch%3DmXhTcpDhlH3vIU3cDZdHIYfqBbYnRgEqbSO7gPgGoFYVG2zgsl1e6A%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1484976681149000&usg=AFQjCNFAzsv_J0u49kYMAaEREgPxoTA4pQ" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001obUu95Ys0y-afcXPMsBddtn8D8dUOg4mSWzdnXOsRRkF-a3Ks-8ldHE5GQJKXHI4W7vVnyClcIghbdVcf27kfHrpBWqey6fbRXUpE3R3f94wz8gXHGtS9PmhdKGHVCAsDSy_ZyqVjj41P07fpR9JRy1njqkDWWY2IXjX3ZneoamfdMfm9CYSJTmregNlnfr74Qb-lngz4540Zz1MTrdVxbrZbOYa1ktqVfRsfaNyR26bgijSD-TRTQ==&c=cw24ngrT4n-ZFHlrbSJ353GeUW2VHyuC9QPQRdMjcyx-GYDuiUDg9g==&ch=mXhTcpDhlH3vIU3cDZdHIYfqBbYnRgEqbSO7gPgGoFYVG2zgsl1e6A==" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">http://www.triplicate.com/<wbr></wbr>news/4940194-151/<span class="il">duncan</span>-hopes-<wbr></wbr>to-tackle-patient-</a>
<div style="color: blue;">
costs?referrer=fpblob</div>
</span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></div>
<div align="left" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Those
of you who have received treatment at the Sutter Coast Hospital ER know
the shock of seeing huge doctor bills. To add to the injustice, there
is no sign in the ER notifying patients they will be charged higher, out
of network rates--you find out when your bill arrives.</span></div>
<div align="left" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sutter
Coast administrator Carlos Priestly claims that the hospital treatment
consent form addresses the out of network ER issue. But I read the
hospital's consent form--it makes no mention of EmCare (the corporation
which hires Sutter Coast's ER doctors), nor does it disclose the fact
that the ER doctors are "out of network," or the actual charges which
patients incur. <strong>Sutter Coast administration knows its ER doctors are out of network, but are not disclosing that fact to patients.</strong> As a first step, I asked Mr. Priestly to post a sign in the ER, notifying patients that the doctors are out of network.</span></div>
<div align="left" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><strong>Other Highlights from the last Healthcare District meeting:</strong></span></div>
<ul>
<li style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sutter
Coast Hospital administrator Carlos Priestly confirmed the hospital
does not have sufficient staff to utilize all its beds, which means
patients are either held in the emergency room or transferred to another
hospital. Mr. Priestly said Sutter Coast is working to address its
staff shortages.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 17.12px;">Mr.
Priestly confirmed the census at Sutter Coast has been consistently
over 25 patients. Remember 25 is the acute care bed limit for Critical
Access hospitals, and that in 2013, the hospital Board voted (over my
dissenting vote) to downsize Sutter Coast to Critical Access. Thanks to
community opposition, the hospital Board later reversed its decision to
implement Critical Access, which </span>would have tripled out of
pocket costs to local Medicare patients and increased the number of
patient transfers to outside hospitals. But we must stay
alert--hospital CEO Mitch Hanna has publicly stated, "<strong>we are not closing the door"</strong> [on Critical Access].</span></li>
</ul>
</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-256512812651537411CC_Divider" style="margin: 0px auto 0px auto; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" class="m_-256512812651537411DividerPadding" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="height: 1px; line-height: 1px; padding: 15px 20px 15px 20px;" valign="top" width="100%">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="height: 1px; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#585858" class="m_-256512812651537411DividerHeight m_-256512812651537411DividerBGColor" colspan="1" height="1" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #585858; height: 1px; line-height: 1px; padding-bottom: 0px;"><img alt="" border="0" class="CToWUd" height="1" hspace="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjdIjnTwWiGqxRJsyjPkKhQwdpxPjn4HBkHqr5HWlkls_wj25QC60hisUYan7O9jBY2xPZMM2Syol7_EdfYTP-jbfzpdaiMS7orA39-vsgxnyYi-fssrMXzmvAg6UI_WJ9-fJTT85XVSPDJZjLsMVRZ8Xh-5qkxRQUaRpU=s0-d-e1-ft" style="display: block; height: 1px; width: 5px;" vspace="0" width="5" /></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="m_-256512812651537411content_LETTER.BLOCK21" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="center" class="m_-256512812651537411ArticlePadding m_-256512812651537411MainText" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; padding: 8px 20px 9px 20px;" valign="top">
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><strong>How You Can Help:</strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If you would like to end Sutter's high charges and out of network doctors, here is how you can help:</span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">1. <strong>Write our local newspaper</strong>,
asking the Sutter Coast Hospital Board of Directors, and hospital CEO
Mitch Hanna, to put an end to ER physicians charging inflated, out of
network rates. Ask Sutter to publicly post its charges for common tests
and procedures. Letters to The Del Norte Triplicate may be mailed to
312 H. St., P.O. Box 277, Crescent City, CA 95531 </span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">2. <strong>Review your hospital or clinic bill: </strong>contact me at <a href="tel:%28707%29%20465-1126" target="_blank" value="+17074651126">(707) 465-1126</a> or by email. I will confidentially review your charges, including "out of network" doctor fees.</span></div>
<div class="m_-256512812651537411ArticleHeadlineText" style="color: #585858; font-family: Trebuchet MS,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-256512812651537411CC_Divider" style="margin: 0px auto 0px auto; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" class="m_-256512812651537411DividerPadding" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="height: 1px; line-height: 1px; padding: 15px 20px 15px 20px;" valign="top" width="100%">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="height: 1px; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#585858" class="m_-256512812651537411DividerHeight m_-256512812651537411DividerBGColor" colspan="1" height="1" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #585858; height: 1px; line-height: 1px; padding-bottom: 0px;"><img alt="" border="0" class="CToWUd" height="1" hspace="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjdIjnTwWiGqxRJsyjPkKhQwdpxPjn4HBkHqr5HWlkls_wj25QC60hisUYan7O9jBY2xPZMM2Syol7_EdfYTP-jbfzpdaiMS7orA39-vsgxnyYi-fssrMXzmvAg6UI_WJ9-fJTT85XVSPDJZjLsMVRZ8Xh-5qkxRQUaRpU=s0-d-e1-ft" style="display: block; height: 1px; width: 5px;" vspace="0" width="5" /></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="m_-256512812651537411content_LETTER.BLOCK24" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="center" class="m_-256512812651537411Content m_-256512812651537411MainText" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; padding: 8px 20px 9px 20px;" valign="top">
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
<strong style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 12.84px;">Disclaimer:
This publication reflects my personal views and is not representative
of my roles as a member of the Del Norte Healthcare District Board, or
as Chief of Surgery at Sutter Coast Hospital.</strong></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
<strong style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 12.84px;"><br /></strong></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
Gregory J. <span class="il">Duncan</span>, M.D. | <a href="mailto:gregoryduncan1200@gmail.com" target="_blank">gregoryduncan1200@gmail.com</a> | <a href="tel:%28707%29%20465-1126" target="_blank" value="+17074651126">(707) 465-1126</a></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
<div align="left" style="font-size: 9pt; text-align: left;">
Diplomate, American Board of Orthopedic Surgery</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="left" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><strong><em>Finally,
please accept heartfelt thanks from Dr. Kevin Caldwell and me for
supporting us in our recent election to the Del Norte Healthcare
District Board. Your votes energized our commitment to expanded,
improved healthcare for residents and visitors to our region. We</em></strong></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><strong><em> look forward to working with you!</em></strong></span></div>
<br /><div align="justify" style="color: #000090; margin-left: 30px; text-align: justify;">
<strong>View past newsletters at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://crescentcityhospital.blogspot.com&source=gmail&ust=1484976681149000&usg=AFQjCNEryUwhRR47Yrg-G8vOpAsoirw4zQ" href="http://crescentcityhospital.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://<wbr></wbr>crescentcityhospital.blogspot.<wbr></wbr>com</a></strong></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642294662648636628.post-57336249124699161522016-10-17T10:24:00.001-07:002016-10-17T10:24:25.933-07:00NOTICE TO Del Norte County Voters<div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">
<div>
<b>Del Norte County Voters Can Choose Two Candidates for Healthcare District Board: </b><b style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>Doctors Caldwell and Duncan are on the ballot </b></b></div>
</div>
</div>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="m_-4862442542425842286_LETTER.BLOCK18" rel="noreferrer"></a><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; padding: 7px 8px 7px 8px;" valign="top">
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<span>
<div>
This election, residents of Del Norte County can vote for</div>
<div>
<strong>two</strong> candidates to represent them on the Del Norte Healthcare District Board.</div>
<br /><div>
Dr. Kevin Caldwell, current Chair of the Healthcare District
Board, and I are running for the two open seats. Dr. Caldwell and I
share the same goals--better, more affordable healthcare, and expanded
health services for residents and visitors in our region. </div>
</span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
If you would like Doctors Caldwell and Duncan to represent you on the Healthcare District Board, please <span style="text-decoration: underline;">vote for both.</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<strong>Please feel free to contact us with your ideas for improving healthcare in our region.</strong></div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
Sincerely,</div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<div>
Greg Duncan, M.D. <a href="tel:%28707%29%20465-1125" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank" value="+17074651125">(707) 465-1125</a> <em style="font-size: 12pt;">email</em><span style="font-size: 12pt;">: <a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/h/xw7lt5auncto/?&cs=wh&v=b&to=gregoryduncan1200@gmail.com" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">gregoryduncan1200@gmail.com</a></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
Kevin Caldwell, M.D. <a href="tel:%28707%29%20465-5566" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank" value="+17074655566">(707) 465-5566</a></div>
<br />______________________________<wbr></wbr>______________________________<wbr></wbr>_________</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; padding: 7px 8px 7px 8px;" valign="top">
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><strong>Shared goals of Dr. Duncan and Dr. Caldwell:</strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">--Bring
top notch health care to the Del Norte/Curry County area, making Del
Norte and Curry "destination communities" for living and recreation</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">--Listen to the community's ideas for improved health care</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">--Support other health care systems interested in expanding into our region</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">--Bring back hospital jobs which have been outsourced to other regions</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">--Stop "out-of-network" doctors overcharging patients in the Emergency Room</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">--Bring affordable, full service hospital care to residents of Curry and Del Norte Counties </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">--Oppose
Critical Access designation of Sutter Coast Hospital, which would
reduce beds and triple costs to patients covered by Medicare insurance</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">--Oppose transfer of ownership of Sutter Coast Hospital out of Del Norte County</span></div>
______________________________<wbr></wbr>______________________________<wbr></wbr>_______<br /><br /><strong>Please vote on Tuesday, November 8. Your vote does make a difference!</strong><br /> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background: transparent; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="padding: 0px 12px 0px 12px;" valign="top" width="100%">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; padding: 7px 8px 7px 8px;" valign="top">
<div>
Gregory J. Duncan, M.D. |
|
<a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/h/xw7lt5auncto/?&cs=wh&v=b&to=gregoryduncan1200@gmail.com" rel="noreferrer" shape="rect" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;" target="_blank">gregoryduncan1200@gmail.com</a> |
1200 Marshall St.<br />
Crescent City,
CA
95531<br />
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" hspace="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgSpRmZIbDWN239lEl9fHinwtkuP-719Nj0ZGTUCo3f0foawbedpkgHRQL_dz3-ThggbsClJo6l7EOsjnogjGqXBn44VhnxcfEu7UdK-DT3D5MMRLDOFZg6aq04hdQPGj9jZZK65Gj4xQjynNWiQ8Ec5BztLrFdog=s0-d-e1-ft" style="display: block;" vspace="0" width="5" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642294662648636628.post-60399000945250476052016-10-10T12:18:00.002-07:002016-10-10T12:18:53.338-07:00Healthcare and Coastal Development: Where Money Flows <span style="color: #000090;">Healthcare and Coastal Development: Where Money Flows </span><br />
<span style="color: #000090;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Read
below to learn how one elected official reportedly accepted gifts from
Coastal developers. The same elected official also quietly met with
Sutter Health executives, claiming to have been appointed by her fellow
County Supervisors, as Sutter was trying to increase prices and cut beds
at our region's only hospital. </span></div>
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 0px auto 0px auto; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="height: 1px; line-height: 1px; padding: 8px 20px 9px 20px;" valign="top" width="100%">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="height: 1px; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#403F42" colspan="1" height="1" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #403f42; height: 1px; line-height: 1px; padding-bottom: 0px;"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" hspace="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgfdJwZl-erigO9K3lAEjq0-0DxGojs1I2jPTfSFwo1Ij2jHZwLSc_ukjc3u9lgTrABImuOlRznFlqQoXEz4YKlUCGz1H0F8Ea1MTZdBe2Cqyt6CVtbRqysELDDcEitYrD1aQ8hKaf9sM-T1ItzS4sUY3TW98BMG0hTicqt8g=s0-d-e1-ft" style="display: block; min-height: 1px; width: 5px;" vspace="0" width="5" /></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: #403f42; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; padding: 8px 20px 9px 20px;" valign="top">
<div style="color: #09a3ba; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">
<span style="color: #000090;">Introduction: L.A. Times article by Steve Lopez</span></div>
<div>
<br /><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><strong>Warning: The following LA Times article contains quotes from Supervisor Martha McClure containing extremely offensive language: </strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><strong><br /></strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><strong>
<div>
<a alt="http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-lopez-commission-sleepover-20160514-column.html" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fr20.rs6.net%252Ftn.jsp%253Ff%253D001w0JquymTm0YS1hoJJnTusKJuAlHfXvELDLhIH36MaLlc8Vlbzl1RBVATt9cZwYJgjm9XxW3NSMujfwqAzAoqlaFA2X3JsiulLzw3kRDWCBVdLZqQORIaOjAnNHQy2NXbsnd7DDpmCnpB3jpxzDfrXYdOv3judjJdgp9uu4WuU1KCkem2QSH6Qg_GNHZmNoyMWWfcqHRaVWieRrzc5ts6n4mL-CH6HXYd1_54DhdcPlfOvTWiUEzgvsjZ1T_IVfRk1gJvdbY6fe0%253D%2526c%253DHv-s7GsZg6QsbHyRrMY7u39l19Q2m03x4AZ8Q_D16czNElZD-m1UiA%253D%253D%2526ch%253DbCob351x5cKmJhpDIVTS5wGT-MRTi8ZiH97RN5hJiCKlLb3DWUJL6A%253D%253D%26sa%3DD%26sntz%3D1%26usg%3DAFQjCNF-uGafw8s6LlrFwA9Ec9pHbhe24A&source=gmail&ust=1476213476178000&usg=AFQjCNEzr63yOKOj9Dv-5luJVtmpue_Rww" href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fr20.rs6.net%2Ftn.jsp%3Ff%3D001w0JquymTm0YS1hoJJnTusKJuAlHfXvELDLhIH36MaLlc8Vlbzl1RBVATt9cZwYJgjm9XxW3NSMujfwqAzAoqlaFA2X3JsiulLzw3kRDWCBVdLZqQORIaOjAnNHQy2NXbsnd7DDpmCnpB3jpxzDfrXYdOv3judjJdgp9uu4WuU1KCkem2QSH6Qg_GNHZmNoyMWWfcqHRaVWieRrzc5ts6n4mL-CH6HXYd1_54DhdcPlfOvTWiUEzgvsjZ1T_IVfRk1gJvdbY6fe0%3D%26c%3DHv-s7GsZg6QsbHyRrMY7u39l19Q2m03x4AZ8Q_D16czNElZD-m1UiA%3D%3D%26ch%3DbCob351x5cKmJhpDIVTS5wGT-MRTi8ZiH97RN5hJiCKlLb3DWUJL6A%3D%3D&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNF-uGafw8s6LlrFwA9Ec9pHbhe24A" rel="noreferrer" shape="rect" style="color: #000090; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Click here to read the LA Times article</a> or copy and paste the following into your browser search bar:</div>
</strong></span></div>
<br /><div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://your.website.address.herehttp://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-lopez-commission-sleepover-20160514-column.html&source=gmail&ust=1476213476178000&usg=AFQjCNF15C14D6mj_NJRT5Ga2bG_mdsoJw" href="http://your.website.address.herehttp//www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-lopez-commission-sleepover-20160514-column.html" rel="noreferrer" shape="rect" style="color: #000090; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.latimes.com/local/<wbr></wbr>california/la-me-lopez-<wbr></wbr>commission-sleepover-20160514-<wbr></wbr>column.html</a></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="color: #000090; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>McClure's Connection to Sutter Health</strong></span></div>
<div style="color: #09a3ba; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">
<span style="color: #403f42; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
According to the L.A Times article, the
money trail between California Coastal Commissioners and coastal land
developers includes our own Supervisor Martha McClure, an appointee to
the Coastal Commission who is currently seeking her sixth term as County
Supervisor. When asked about possible financial conflicts of interest
with coastal developers, McClure hurled a string of obscenities at the
L.A. Times reporter. </div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
Why am I writing this? Because McClure
reacted similarly when Dr. Caldwell and I asked about her relationship
with Sutter Health executives as they attempted to cut hospital beds and
raise prices at our region's only hospital. </div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
Here is the background:</div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
When I was on the Board of Directors of
Sutter Coast Hospital, I discovered that Supervisor McClure had quietly
started working with Sutter Health executives. McClure claimed she was
working with the Sutter "selection committee" under an official
appointment by the County Board of Supervisors. The committee was
charged with selecting the consultant for the 2013 Sutter Coast Hospital
study.</div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
The problem with McClure's story is that
there is no record of her having been appointed by the Board of
Supervisors to work with Sutter. Her appointment is not on any meeting
Agenda, nor is it in any meeting minutes. Three Supervisors could not
remember Martha's supposed appointment.</div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
When Dr. Caldwell and I asked Supervisor
McClure about her claim to have been appointed to work with Sutter, she
responded angrily, including a voicemail asking how I could question her
authority, and an unprintable phrase she directed specifically at Dr.
Caldwell. </div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
Just as in her L.A. Times interview, when
confronted with evidence of apparent misconduct, McClure responded with
four letter words and false accusations. Her outburst aside, <span>McClure
produced no evidence to support her claim to have been appointed to
work with Sutter by the Board of Supervisors. Unable to back up her
claim, she resigned from the Sutter selection committee. (She
resurfaced shortly thereafter, as a member of the Sutter/Camden
committee, but this time serving "as an individual.")</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<span> </span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
According to the Triplicate, and
substantiated by internal hospital records, the Sutter/Camden committee
members, which included McClure, all voted for Critical Access
designation at Sutter Coast. Recall that Critical Access would have cut
our acute care beds by 50% and tripled charges to Medicare patients.
Thankfully, widespread public opposition forced Sutter earlier this year
to rescind its Critical Access application.</div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
I understand these facts may come as a
surprise. I, along with longtime Democrat Drs. Kevin Caldwell, Donna
Sund, and Mark Davis, supported Martha McClure for many years. But
knowing of her false claims, support for Critical Access, and pattern of
inappropriate behavior, we can no longer support Martha McClure. We
endorse Lori Cowan for District 2 Supervisor.</div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<span style="color: #403f42; font-family: Arial;">The
pattern with McClure is clear: when asked about apparent official
misconduct, McClure uses emotional outbursts to divert attention from
issues such as coastal development, possible influence peddling, and
people's healthcare. </span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
As always, I appreciate receiving your
questions and comments. As a local resident and business owner, it
would have been easier to stay silent. But this story--a multi-billion
dollar corporation and an elected official misleading the public while
working to cut vital healthcare services and raise charges on our senior
citizens-must be heard.</div>
<br /><div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<strong>
<div>
To hear a last week's comprehensive radio interview on our
community struggle with Sutter Health, tune into KFUG radio with host
Paul Critz at:</div>
<br /> </strong>
<div style="color: #000090;">
<strong><a alt="http://kfugradio.org/wordpress1/2016/05/16/dr-greg-duncan-talks-sutter-health/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fr20.rs6.net%252Ftn.jsp%253Ff%253D001w0JquymTm0YS1hoJJnTusKJuAlHfXvELDLhIH36MaLlc8Vlbzl1RBVATt9cZwYJgkoLmhx4f8QheTuaweK9XYXIF2q3MJPjX8EcThIjTJ8VrMR2e-_fCYXGeF9MFB9JFMqhQ1M0Xh6CiPgX-pXes9bN8qgmI1A-NTdb8XC2uqvP4-dhuw1WtGXbD6i-IyZpOKafQhvQ6DZ3ZlVUgaogItUTT1QnGP0YN83MkjSRIx2lkC_TMAshmqgY5qtwtxXqo%2526c%253DHv-s7GsZg6QsbHyRrMY7u39l19Q2m03x4AZ8Q_D16czNElZD-m1UiA%253D%253D%2526ch%253DbCob351x5cKmJhpDIVTS5wGT-MRTi8ZiH97RN5hJiCKlLb3DWUJL6A%253D%253D%26sa%3DD%26sntz%3D1%26usg%3DAFQjCNERX1RWZ0jgQ1ep_eO1BXRIP3V3kA&source=gmail&ust=1476213476178000&usg=AFQjCNFI75ctRfmh4kjCAQkpvH2Ot8d0hw" href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fr20.rs6.net%2Ftn.jsp%3Ff%3D001w0JquymTm0YS1hoJJnTusKJuAlHfXvELDLhIH36MaLlc8Vlbzl1RBVATt9cZwYJgkoLmhx4f8QheTuaweK9XYXIF2q3MJPjX8EcThIjTJ8VrMR2e-_fCYXGeF9MFB9JFMqhQ1M0Xh6CiPgX-pXes9bN8qgmI1A-NTdb8XC2uqvP4-dhuw1WtGXbD6i-IyZpOKafQhvQ6DZ3ZlVUgaogItUTT1QnGP0YN83MkjSRIx2lkC_TMAshmqgY5qtwtxXqo%26c%3DHv-s7GsZg6QsbHyRrMY7u39l19Q2m03x4AZ8Q_D16czNElZD-m1UiA%3D%3D%26ch%3DbCob351x5cKmJhpDIVTS5wGT-MRTi8ZiH97RN5hJiCKlLb3DWUJL6A%3D%3D&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNERX1RWZ0jgQ1ep_eO1BXRIP3V3kA" rel="noreferrer" shape="rect" style="color: #000090; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Click here to go directly to radio interview</a></strong></div>
<strong> <br /><div>
or copy and paste the following link into your browser:</div>
<br /><div>
<a alt="http://kfugradio.org/wordpress1/2016/05/16/dr-greg-duncan-talks-sutter-health/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fr20.rs6.net%252Ftn.jsp%253Ff%253D001w0JquymTm0YS1hoJJnTusKJuAlHfXvELDLhIH36MaLlc8Vlbzl1RBVATt9cZwYJgkoLmhx4f8QheTuaweK9XYXIF2q3MJPjX8EcThIjTJ8VrMR2e-_fCYXGeF9MFB9JFMqhQ1M0Xh6CiPgX-pXes9bN8qgmI1A-NTdb8XC2uqvP4-dhuw1WtGXbD6i-IyZpOKafQhvQ6DZ3ZlVUgaogItUTT1QnGP0YN83MkjSRIx2lkC_TMAshmqgY5qtwtxXqo%2526c%253DHv-s7GsZg6QsbHyRrMY7u39l19Q2m03x4AZ8Q_D16czNElZD-m1UiA%253D%253D%2526ch%253DbCob351x5cKmJhpDIVTS5wGT-MRTi8ZiH97RN5hJiCKlLb3DWUJL6A%253D%253D%26sa%3DD%26sntz%3D1%26usg%3DAFQjCNERX1RWZ0jgQ1ep_eO1BXRIP3V3kA&source=gmail&ust=1476213476178000&usg=AFQjCNFI75ctRfmh4kjCAQkpvH2Ot8d0hw" href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fr20.rs6.net%2Ftn.jsp%3Ff%3D001w0JquymTm0YS1hoJJnTusKJuAlHfXvELDLhIH36MaLlc8Vlbzl1RBVATt9cZwYJgkoLmhx4f8QheTuaweK9XYXIF2q3MJPjX8EcThIjTJ8VrMR2e-_fCYXGeF9MFB9JFMqhQ1M0Xh6CiPgX-pXes9bN8qgmI1A-NTdb8XC2uqvP4-dhuw1WtGXbD6i-IyZpOKafQhvQ6DZ3ZlVUgaogItUTT1QnGP0YN83MkjSRIx2lkC_TMAshmqgY5qtwtxXqo%26c%3DHv-s7GsZg6QsbHyRrMY7u39l19Q2m03x4AZ8Q_D16czNElZD-m1UiA%3D%3D%26ch%3DbCob351x5cKmJhpDIVTS5wGT-MRTi8ZiH97RN5hJiCKlLb3DWUJL6A%3D%3D&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNERX1RWZ0jgQ1ep_eO1BXRIP3V3kA" rel="noreferrer" shape="rect" style="color: #000090;" target="_blank">http://kfugradio.org/<wbr></wbr>wordpress1/2016/05/16/dr-greg-<wbr></wbr>duncan-talks-sutter-health/</a></div>
<br /> <br /> </strong></div>
<div style="font-size: 14pt;">
<strong><em>"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter"</em>-- The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.</strong></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642294662648636628.post-26927596827925407262016-02-26T14:48:00.001-08:002016-02-26T14:48:52.905-08:00Sutter Coast 's Critical Access Application Withdrawn!<div style="color: white; font-size: 0; height: 0; left: 30%; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: 30%; width: 0; z-index: -9;">
<form action="?ui=html&zy=s" method="post">
</form>
</div>
<div style="height: 1px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: -1000px;">
</div>
<div style="height: 1px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: -1000px;">
Conversation opened. 1 read message.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" class="cf gJ"><tbody>
<tr><td style="vertical-align: top;"></td></tr>
<tr><td style="vertical-align: top;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="Bu"></td></tr>
<tr class="hR"><td class="hU hM" style="background-color: #dddddd; color: #666666;"></td><td class="hV hM" style="background-color: #dddddd; color: #666666;"></td></tr>
<tr class="acZ"><td class="gF gK"></td><td class="gH"></td><td class="gH"></td><td class="gH acX" rowspan="2"></td></tr>
<tr class="acZ xD"></tr>
<tr><td class="Bu"><br /></td><td class="Bu yM"><br /></td><td class="Bu y3"><div style="font-size: 14pt;">
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>A Major Victory But Not an End to the Sutter Conflict</strong></span></div>
<br /><div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Past</span>:
On December 5, 2013, the Sutter Coast Hospital Board voted, over my
objection, to downsize Sutter Coast to a Critical Access facility.</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Present</span>:
This week, hospital CEO Mitch Hanna confirmed he had sent a request to
the State of California, asking to withdraw Sutter Coast's Critical
Access application. Mr. Hanna also confirmed Sutter Coast registered
multimillion dollar profits again in 2015, after Sutter's "independent
study" and former CEO Linda Horn had foretold of heavy losses through
2018. <strong style="font-size: 12pt;">As so many in our community have
told me, Sutter can cook its books any way they wish, because hospital
Board meetings and financial records are kept secret. </strong><strong style="font-size: 12pt;">At the same time, Sutter Coast is granted a "hardship" tax exemption, claiming they are a charity.</strong></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<strong style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></strong></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<strong style="font-size: 12pt;">Thanks
to your efforts, Sutter's decisions to move hospital ownership out of
Del Norte County and to downsize to Critical Access, have been stopped
for now.</strong><strong style="font-size: 12pt;"> S</strong><strong style="font-size: 12pt;">utter told us we could not stop them, that we had no voice, that our community just didn't understand. You proved Sutter wrong.</strong></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<strong style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></strong></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<strong style="font-size: 12pt;">The immediate threat of Critical Access designation has passed. </strong><span style="font-family: Arial,' Helvetica',' sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">However,
Mr. Hanna made no promises that he would not implement Critical Access
in the future. Here is why I opposed Critical Access:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">--huge increases in out of pocket costs to local Medicare patients</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">--closure of 50% of the acute care hospital beds</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">--restriction on how long patients may stay in the hospital</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">--mandatory patient transfers to outside hospitals</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">--nationwide,
Critical Access hospitals have been shown to have higher death rates
for patients with pneumonia, heart failure, heart attack, and following
elective surgery.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The future</span>:<strong>
My next focus will be on Sutter's high charges for care, which result
from their statewide monopoly and high income needs of their
multimillion dollar executives and attorneys. </strong></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong><br /></strong></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
Sutter's high
charges drive up your insurance premiums and harm our public employees,
teachers, individuals, and small and large businesses. Statewide,
Sutter's charges have been found to be up to 60% over market averages,
while its executive pay has skyrocketed. This injustice must end. </div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
Please send me your thoughts to <a href="mailto:drgjduncan1200@gmail.com" target="_blank">drgjduncan1200@gmail.com</a>, and tune in to a recent radio interview on KCIW, available by podcast, tablet, or smartphone at: <a alt="http://kciw.org/sutter-coast-hospital-conflict/" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0013pbvp0DvQVLewuKMkzSSnwgUAGPOj0LmOgbZDVfhFc4GNP0zDoEKI9bJQ-twwZ_T9zseA7UNyAu6o9rd1m_jamnPg7x7E5eo-h16ZF4HLJgYo1hPPua4l1uqvikuGnkA1KArplxYKV9WlZScxGlIyWEiOgqmvpQdcG8poufoDt4C0fObSvLAw_HSrz6k9L8t6cJPL2Yso1I=&c=IHPi8L7B4Tp5KxyUJWK2p4sWD1FnYOnuBVfdKROFOwwW2gm_gs0V8Q==&ch=lQpsBGpG85dOB-Q54QN_-gwsJKMe0xgUFW4yNMURqM_d2HjUIaI4qA==" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">http://kciw.org/sutter-<wbr></wbr>coast-hospital-conflict/</a></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<br /><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /> Sincerely,<br /> <br />Gregory J. <span class="il">Duncan</span>, M.D.</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
Diplomate, American Board of Orthopedic Surgery</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642294662648636628.post-11070159394525776842016-02-21T20:23:00.001-08:002016-02-21T20:23:20.052-08:00 How Your Healthcare Dollars Are Paying Sutter's Executive Salaries<div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<b>Introduction by Greg Duncan, M.D.</b></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<br /></div>
This newsletter tells the success story of how our community fought
Sutter Health's efforts to downsize and take ownership of Sutter Coast
Hospital. Local attorney Bill Gray investigates Sutter's misconduct,
exposes the harm Sutter has brought to our community and our state, and
offers advice on how to bring justice to Sutter. To learn more, please
stop by my office on 1200 Marshall St., pick up fact sheets on how
Sutter is increasing your healthcare costs, and join the more than 4,000
residents who have signed the petition opposing Sutter's plans. To
subscribe to this newsletter, please send me an email at <a href="mailto:gregoryduncan1200@gmail.com" target="_blank">gregoryduncan1200@gmail.com</a> Read past newsletters at <a alt="http://www.crescentcityhospital.blogspot.com" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001v4TMkKEIiVgjytQyHdo4HSGrcC-TEp1-jnFIo4KrSuMlUDECklej7uwJGpKB5w2BWw3DnTr73U2KVH9hYPreD-g1t1WtlmGhCztEpCEhLqLN_3ClVq70Na-PdJcn7zNed6AYy7PT3wSPQNq8Lk6x8i4wLtrn3qUzenWbjcM1gTqvO5OGynd31Yy0eHAzKqyz_MX_gjJjssE=&c=oQVfdauzE43HPKpwbFl_7kx6uT9_jouGECtxAE6qxwYXaBvgMhp2AQ==&ch=in-F-7CEPngKT0Grqzxh8one-qKtG3_YOIpuxTFfV5Y1EqPqn0UZpw==" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">www.crescentcityhospital.<wbr></wbr>blogspot.com</a></div>
<br /><div>
Most of all, thank you for your support, ideas, and prayers.</div>
<br /><div>
Greg Duncan, M.D.</div>
<div>
Diplomate, American Board of Orthopedic Surgery</div>
<div>
1200 Marshall St., Crescent City, CA 95531</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="font-size: 16pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"><strong>Myth Busting Sutter Health:</strong></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 16pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"><strong>Community Benefit or Executive Greed?</strong></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 14pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><strong>by Bill K. Gray, Esq.</strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">(originally published in the Anderson Valley <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">Advertiser:</span> <strong><a alt="http://theava.com/archives/52131" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001v4TMkKEIiVgjytQyHdo4HSGrcC-TEp1-jnFIo4KrSuMlUDECklej7oBnJ6wVnEJ_B0DUGL-8dZpINVRjTIJBjvETlYItc1vADIeymSkO5DC1cOE-_RItw6yXtJwizTYGlxYlw5tz1kVG9QxR2oE29b3nfDsRm0bEPee_KEG590OcpN-17aU1FzCEixJ5pSN6&c=oQVfdauzE43HPKpwbFl_7kx6uT9_jouGECtxAE6qxwYXaBvgMhp2AQ==&ch=in-F-7CEPngKT0Grqzxh8one-qKtG3_YOIpuxTFfV5Y1EqPqn0UZpw==" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">http://theava.com/<wbr></wbr>archives/52131</a>)</strong></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Sutter
Health is a tax exempt public charity. The tax code requires Sutter to
operate solely for community benefit. Indeed, for decades Sutter Health
served to manage community owned hospitals which were governed by
community Boards of Directors. In 2010, Sutter Health's role changed
when it implemented a statewide merger effort to transfer ownership of
the community hospitals into large multi-hospital corporations. Now,
Sutter Health controls two massive "Divisions" containing nearly 40
hospitals and surgery centers. The result? Sutter Health's monopoly
allows it to charge up to 60% more than market rates for healthcare.
Sutter executive salaries more than doubled during its merger.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Who
pays Sutter's executives? You do. Whether in the form of higher
health insurance premiums, lower wages (as more employer dollars are
used for employee health insurance), or direct payment of Sutter's
inflated charges for care, everyone in California is impacted by Sutter
Health's monopoly.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Today,
only one Sutter hospital in California remains locally owned--Sutter
Coast Hospital ("SCH") in Crescent City. This article tells the story
of how our town fought off Sutter's attempts to transfer hospital
ownership outside of our community. We debunked Sutter's false claims,
one by one, until Sutter agreed to leave us out of its two "Divisions."
We know Sutter Health will be back, but for now, SCH is locally owned
and governed. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Sutter employed four tactics in its takeover attempt:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">(1) <b>Threats to close the hospital if the local hospital Board did not comply with Sutter's corporate plans.</b>
For years, Sutter executives claimed SCH needed to transfer ownership
to Sutter's regional corporation, and to downsize to a Critical Access
facility (which would allow SCH to triple its charges to Medicare), in
order to survive. Sutter's threat to close the region's only hospital
nearly worked. In 2011, the Sutter Coast Hospital Board (which contains
three highly compensated Sutter employees) voted to transfer hospital
ownership to Sutter's multi-hospital corporation. But protests from
every elected body and thousands of residents, and talk of eminent
domain against Sutter by the Del Norte Healthcare District, forced
Sutter to put the merger on hold.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">(2) <b>False claims of financial losses.</b>
Former Sutter Coast CEO Linda Horn stated 2008 was the last year Sutter
Coast was profitable. Sutter's paid consultants (the Camden Group)
predicted heavy losses from 2014 to 2018 unless the hospital converted
to Critical Access. Now we know the truth: Sutter's claims were all
myths.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">IRS
filings confirm Sutter Coast made over $7 million in profits combined
in years 2009 and 2010. That's on top of many millions in profits from
1985 through 2008. Sutter's predictions of losses from 2014 to 2018 are
also proving false. According to current hospital CEO Mitch Hanna,
Sutter Coast generated a "healthy profit" in 2014. How healthy? $10.8
million in 2014, with similar profits predicted for 2015, when Mr.
Hanna's annual salary was $840,000. So, without downsizing to Critical
Access, Sutter Coast's profits and Mr. Hanna's salary both appear quite
"healthy."</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">But
what of the health of our community? In 2014, Sutter Coast transferred
872 patients out of our county for medical care. Sutter Coast
outsourced local hospital jobs to Sutter's regional service center, cut
hospital staff, and has become a revolving door for physicians leaving
the county.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">(3) <b>Secret meetings.</b>
Sutter claim: "We act openly and truthfully in everything we do."
Here are some facts: Sutter only released "select information" from its
self-funded "independent" hospital study. Sutter muted the telephone
lines during its internet-only public presentation of the study, so
audience members could not hear questions from other participants.
Sutter holds closed Board rooms, dismissed a dissenting Director from
the Board room, and censured our local hospital Chief of Staff for
allegedly releasing Board meeting minutes, while providing no evidence
to support the allegation. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">(4) <b>Broken promises</b>.
Sutter, a public benefit company, has hosted no public meetings during
their four your conflict with the community. During a Town Hall meeting
on February 17, 2015, Sutter Coast CEO Mitch Hanna, unable to answer
many questions from the audience, stated he would return <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1592497809" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">within 30 days</span></span> to discuss hospital finances. <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1592497810" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">One year later</span></span>,
Mr. Hanna has failed to appear. Sutter Health executives also ignored
official record requests from our city and county leaders. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Sutter's
tax exemption means our county, state and federal governments cannot
collect hundreds of millions in yearly tax revenues which "for profit"
companies must pay. Does Sutter deserves its tax exempt privilege and
above market charges for health care? You be the judge . . . . . </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Sutter's
violations of California law are too numerous to detail here. If you
would like to help address Sutter's misconduct and its impact on
California healthcare costs, <strong>please join Dr. Duncan's team of volunteers by writing him at <a href="mailto:gregoryduncan1200@gmail.com" target="_blank">gregoryduncan1200@gmail.com</a>,</strong>
and join our city and county leaders, who have already asked Attorney
General Kamala Harris to investigate Sutter Health, by writing to:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Honorable Kamala Harris</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Attorney General of California</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">1300 "I" St.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Sacramento, CA 95814-2919</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="tel:%28916%29%20445-9555" target="_blank" value="+19164459555">(916) 445-9555</a></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642294662648636628.post-64504556806978281492016-01-19T22:07:00.000-08:002016-02-08T21:21:50.732-08:00 The Root of the Hospital Problem: A Sutter Coast Hospital Board Mired in Secrecy<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="padding: 5.25pt 6.0pt 5.25pt 6.0pt;" valign="top"><div align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">In This Issue</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"> </span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="padding: 0in 6.0pt 0in 6.0pt;" valign="top"><div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><div align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">January 16, 2016</span><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></b></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr style="min-height: .75pt;"><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="min-height: .75pt; padding: 0in 0in 8.25pt 0in;"><div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><img alt="http://img.constantcontact.com/letters/images/1101116784221/S.gif" height="1" width="5" /></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="padding: 0in 9.0pt 0in 9.0pt; width: 100.0%;" valign="top" width="100%"><div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="padding: 5.25pt 6.0pt 5.25pt 6.0pt;" valign="top"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="301861739_LETTER.BLOCK18" rel="nofollow" shape="rect"></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">The Root of the Hospital Problem: A
Sutter Coast Hospital Board Mired in Secrecy</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">By Greg
Duncan, M.D., with original email by Larry Eninger, M.D.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">This article
contains an internal hospital email written by my colleague Dr. Larry
Eninger, providing a "behind the scenes" look at the
conflict between our community and the Sutter Health appointees on
our local hospital Board. Dr. Eninger served on the Sutter
Coast Hospital Conflict Resolution Committee, formed when hospital
physicians opposed the Board's secret vote to transfer hospital
ownership out of our community. Local readers already
know Dr. Eninger as a caring doctor with a wonderful staff in Crescent
City and Brookings. Less well known is his resume--retired Navy
captain and flight surgeon, former Sutter Coast Chief of Staff and
Director, and former staff physician at the Scripps clinic in La
Jolla, California. Dr. Eninger's experience in multiple
practice settings was a great asset to the committee. For three
years, he met with physicians and hospital Board members, studied the
hospital bylaws changes written by a Sutter Health attorney in 2011,
and offered his advice to resolve the Sutter conflict.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">This week, Dr.
Eninger resigned from the Conflict Resolution Committee. His
resignation email , sent to all members of the Sutter Coast
Conflict Resolution Committee, follows:</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="301861739_LETTER.BLOCK19" rel="nofollow" shape="rect"></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="padding: 3.75pt 6.0pt 3.75pt 6.0pt;" valign="top"><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="padding: 5.25pt 6.0pt 8.25pt 6.0pt;" valign="top"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">(note:
"Kevin" refers to Dr. Kevin Caldwell, who was advised by a
hospital Board member that Dr. Caldwell could not release any
committee information to anyone)</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">"Kevin, you don't need anybody's permission to share
our communications. </span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Anyone who thinks their words/actions should be kept
secret should probably reconsider those words/actions. I will
certainly be perfectly candid if anyone cares enough to ask me what
has transpired in our committee."</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">"I have been tight-lipped, but I fully understand
your frustration. All the secrecy is counterproductive.
Do some think they need to make decisions for the community without
the community's knowledge because they are so much smarter than the
lowly people who just wouldn't be able to understand their
wisdom? Or maybe they are ashamed of their actions and know
that anyone with knowledge will recognize that those actions are
indefensible?"</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">"I've tried for years to be understanding, but it's
time to call a spade a spade. It's convenient and comfortable
to criticize Sutter Health, the big nebulous corporation in Sacramento,
rather than our friends and neighbors. But Sutter Health is not
primarily responsible for the decline of Sutter Coast Hospital over
the past few years. Sure, they could have been more open and
spoon-fed us with the negative aspects of their plans, but why should
they? They are a corporation whose Board is responsible for the
success of that corporation. Their primary concern is not
Sutter Coast Hospital or our community. That responsibility
belongs to our local Sutter Coast Hospital Board."</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">"In defense of our Board, it is a tough job.
Nonetheless, it is our Board's responsibility to protect the
interests of Sutter Coast Hospital, and by virtue of the hospital's
charter, the local community. Whether by ego, ignorance, ineptness,
laziness, cowardice or combination thereof, our local Board has
failed miserably in that responsibility."</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">"Some board members still believe that Sutter Coast
Hospital is owned by Sutter Health. They either don't
understand their responsibility as Trustees of Sutter Coast Hospital
or they choose to ignore it. They weakened their powers, and
thus their ability to meet their responsibilities, by accepting the
Bylaws changes of 2011; they tried to give them away completely by
voting for regionalization; and they voted for Critical Access, a
designation that burdens our community. Then when confronted
with opposition they chose to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars
on a carefully-orchestrated, dependent "study" carefully
constructed & interpreted in the then-CEO's office to support
their position before hunkering down behind a wall of secrecy.
They chose to ignore the physicians and community with whom they
clearly (should) have common goals and instead listen to the lawyers
of Sutter Health, a corporation whose goals are, although generally
aligned with, not the same as those of Sutter Coast Hospital."</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">"Our Sutter Coast Hospital Board is at odds with our
community - fighting us on behalf of Sutter Health. Until the
majority of our Board is once-again composed of community-focused
individuals who are capable of independent thought, our efforts on
the Conflict Resolution Committee are a waste of time. I
am truly sorry about the events of the past 4-5 years for all of
us. However, 4 years is enough of rehashing the facts and
having them repeatedly ignored. I had hoped to contribute to
resolution of our conflict, but I hereby admit my failure to
meaningfully do so and submit my resignation from this
committee."</span></i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Larry Eninger,
M.D.</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="padding: 5.25pt 6.0pt 5.25pt 6.0pt;" valign="top"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">How Can You
Help?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">If you support
the goal of affordable, accessible healthcare, please join the more
than 4,000 local residents who have signed the petition at my office
on 1200 Marshall St., opposing Sutter Health's corporate plans; write
a letter to the Del Norte Triplicate (P.O. Box 277, Crescent City, CA
95531) and join the statewide effort to compel Sutter Health to
open its hidden books and records by asking Attorney General Kamala
Harris to investigate Sutter Health's conduct and whether Sutter
deserves a tax exemption:</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Honorable Kamala Harris</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Attorney General of California</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">1300 "I" St.</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sacramento, CA 95814-2919</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="tel:%28916%29%20445-9555" target="_blank" value="+19164459555">(916) 445-9555</a></span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Sincerely,<br clear="none" />
<br clear="none" />
Gregory J. Duncan, M.D.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Diplomate,
American Board of Orthopedic Surgery</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Please post
this letter on Facebook and forward to interested friends!</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Gregory J. Duncan, M.D. | | </span><a href="mailto:gregoryduncan1200@gmail.com" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">gregoryduncan1200@gmail.com</span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> <wbr></wbr>| 1200 Marshall St.<br clear="none" />
Crescent City, CA 95531</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642294662648636628.post-70320659340416853152016-01-04T17:39:00.003-08:002016-01-04T17:39:46.177-08:00WHAT IS THE DEL NORTE HEALTHCARE DISTRICT AND HOW CAN YOU HELP IMPROVE LOCAL HEALTHCARE?<span></span><br />
<div>
<strong>by Roxie Hazard, Certified Radiologic Technologist</strong></div>
<div>
<span> </span></div>
<div>
<span>Here is a brief history on California's Healthcare Districts,
and why our local Healthcare District is so important to our community:</span></div>
<div>
<span> </span></div>
<div>
<span>In order to address healthcare shortages in rural areas, the
California legislature approved the formation of local Hospital
Districts, now called "Healthcare Districts." By law, Healthcare
Districts have specified statutory rights, including the right of
eminent domain, in order to provide appropriate healthcare for
communities. The Del Norte Healthcare District is governed by five
elected county residents who, among other contributions, built the Del
Norte Community Health Center, the largest clinic in Del Norte County,
providing primary care, dentistry, and mental health services.</span></div>
<div>
<span> </span></div>
<div>
<span>Four years ago, as part of Sutter Health's statewide hospital
merger effort, the Sutter Coast Hospital Board voted (over the
objection of Chief of Staff Dr. Kevin Caldwell) to dissolve itself and
transfer ownership of Sutter Coast to a San Francisco based,
multi-hospital corporation, entirely controlled by Sutter Health. Sutter
excluded the hospital physicians, the Del Norte Healthcare District,
and our community from its decision to transfer ownership of Sutter
Coast Hospital out of Del Norte County. In spite of widespread public
concern, the Sutter Coast Board Chair refused to reconsider the Board's
decision, stating, "the train has left the station."</span></div>
<div>
<span> </span></div>
<div>
<span>Two years ago, the Sutter Coast Board voted (over the
objection of Chief of Staff Dr. Greg Duncan) to implement "Critical
Access" status, which, according to hospital CEO Mitch Hanna, would
allow Sutter Coast to collect an additional $5 million a year from
Medicare. However, Critical Access also required Sutter Coast to close
half of its beds, and would greatly increase out of pocket costs to
local Medicare patients. Whenever Sutter Coast was "full" under the 25
bed cap imposed by Critical Access, patients would be shipped to outside
hospitals, at their expense. </span></div>
<div>
<span> </span></div>
<div>
<span>In response to Sutter Coast's decisions, the Del Norte
Healthcare District led an effort to stop Sutter Health's plans to take
hospital ownership and to downsize Sutter Coast to a Critical Access
facility. Now, Sutter Coast states it has ended its effort to transfer
hospital ownership out of Del Norte County, and has tabled its plans to
downsize to Critical Access.</span></div>
<div>
<span> </span></div>
<div>
<span>The problem is, the Sutter Coast Board has not made any
binding promises--they have not withdrawn their Critical Access
application and have not rescinded their vote to transfer hospital
ownership out of our county, despite being asked to do so by the
hospital physicians. The Sutter Coast Board has also refused to release
their meeting records and financial data, and they continue to hold
meetings closed to the public. </span></div>
<div>
<span> </span></div>
<div>
<span>Q. How can we bring better healthcare to our community?</span></div>
<div>
<span> </span></div>
<div>
<span>A. By supporting our locally elected Del Norte Healthcare District Board. </span></div>
<div>
<span> </span></div>
<div>
<span>Over 4,000 area residents have signed the petition at Dr.
Duncan's office, opposing Sutter's corporate plans for Del Norte County.
Please stop by his office on 1200 Marshall St. and add your name to
this list. Our community, together with our Healthcare District, can
improve local healthcare. </span></div>
<div>
<span> </span></div>
<div>
<span>Our Healthcare District generally meets at <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1801324584" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">6:30 p.m.</span></span> on the 4th <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1801324585" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday</span></span> of each month, but with the holidays, </span><span style="color: red; font-size: 12pt;">the next meeting is scheduled for <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1801324586" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">next Tuesday</span></span>,</span><span><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1801324587" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">January 5th, 2016</span></span>, at <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1801324588" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">6:30 p.</span></span> m. </span><span>Meetings
are open to the public, and are held at the Wellness Center, 550
Washington Blvd, Crescent City, CA 95531. The phone number is: <a href="tel:%28707%29%20464-9494" target="_blank" value="+17074649494">(707) 464-9494</a>, <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1801324589" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday</span></span> through Friday, <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1801324590" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">8 am to 12 noon</span></span>.</span></div>
<div>
<span> </span></div>
<div>
<span><span style="color: red;">Please join me on <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1801324591" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Jan. 5</span></span></span>, and the fourth <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1801324592" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday</span></span> of each month, and bring your ideas and questions. Together, we can make better healthcare in our region a reality. </span></div>
<div>
<span><br /></span></div>
<div>
Roxie Hazard, CRT</div>
<div>
Crescent City, CA</div>
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background: transparent; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="padding: 0px 12px 0px 12px;" valign="top" width="100%">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; padding: 7px 8px 7px 8px;" valign="top">
<div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642294662648636628.post-43624762020767742982015-10-26T21:10:00.003-07:002015-10-26T21:10:57.650-07:00Headline Article Debunks Sutter's Prior "Gloom and Doom" Forecast<div>
October 18, 2015 </div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold; padding: 7px 8px 7px 8px;" valign="top">
<div>
In This Issue</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; padding: 0px 8px 0px 8px;" valign="top">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;">
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" colspan="1" height="1" rowspan="1" style="height: 1px; line-height: 1px; padding-bottom: 11px;"><img alt="" border="0" class="CToWUd" height="1" hspace="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjijIKhQGB2qQN2dyyGpO37_f8tOQcwjX6f2O4uQxAnmD-q6z5wE-l2w_OK17TvdJApQ61oq7e-9NHpsjR6-OojlehyUwkm7kGpint6CzUlKgnPOn-3fT48yI4A52NPqQwovpPAU9_OKT__c4mIyBgKZPZHW7IkWff8IiVs0s__5f4=s0-d-e1-ft" style="display: block;" vspace="0" width="5" /></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background: transparent; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="padding: 0px 12px 0px 12px;" valign="top" width="100%">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="1507e70e6944d856_LETTER.BLOCK17"></a><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; padding: 7px 8px 7px 8px;" valign="top">
<div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<b>Headline Article Debunks Sutter's Prior "Gloom and Doom" Forecast</b></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<em><b><br /></b></em></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
For
those who missed the 10/1/15 headline article in The Del Norte
Triplicate, and were unable to attend yesterday's Town Hall meeting,
here is "the rest of the story" on Sutter's financial claims . . . . </div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Background</strong></span>:
In late 2013, Sutter executives told us that downsizing Sutter Coast
Hospital to Critical Access status was necessary to stem Sutter Coast's
financial losses. Former hospital CEO Linda Horn publicly announced the
hospital had not had a positive operating margin since 2008. (Ms. Horn's
statement is contradicted by Sutter's own data, which shows operating
income of $7 million for years 2009 plus 2010.)</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
The
Camden Group (a consulting firm paid by Sutter) and Linda Horn both
projected heavy losses at Sutter Coast through 2018. Those dire
predictions were used to justify removing half of the hospital's beds
from service, which hospital officials conceded would necessitate an
increase in mandatory patient transfers (due to the 25 acute care bed
cap imposed by Critical Access). But in the face of the projected
losses, Critical Access would allow Sutter Coast to triple its payments
from Medicare. (source: Linda Horn, NewsPlus," 1/17/14.) Thus, the
downsizing was portrayed as a necessary trade off in the face of
predictions of steep losses ahead.</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Fast forward to 2014</strong></span>: The <em>Del Norte Triplicate's</em>
headline article 10/1/15 reported Sutter Coast Hospital's profits were
$10.8 million in 2014, and according to Sutter Coast CEO Mitch Hanna,
expected to be roughly $11.9 million in 2015 <strong>(without Critical Access</strong>). (<em>source: </em><a alt="http://www.triplicate.com/News/Local-News/108M-profit-in-2014" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001AEj9QBHO0hQE9QDQj-sLgFC7zev2X_S5HOn6WQ2ffZKfAkn7XyOqamBnnYIG7oOrr9mg7T-t1Bm82q6mA6LGLJsBO5q7c9laRapcyW5EY7dV4s9jzvWtvuYCYZ13gzZhUNEn-JJlBBSQPC55IOzmU2DmKY3E1QygD9ORkqWW6haKFvIuT72gvHrXBHoCaq__vh2QM9yEomrG4dbs_VklssRjLlHtzge8&c=_M5DIA_BtvsKItZiLyPntGm24AB654LkQN3180JrOZU5w2bEzrA0-A==&ch=UOGEddugSvMjQp55OJMU27gMZRkjI9kBXvmXggm9E1oi9C7QYVTi0Q==" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">http://www.<wbr></wbr>triplicate.com/News/Local-<wbr></wbr>News/108M-profit-in-2014</a>)</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
Sutter's
gloomy 2013 forecasts turned into huge profits the next year. These
profits are not surprising--Sutter Health is nationally renowned for its
high prices and profiteering--see the following New York Times article,
which discusses Sutter Health:</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<a alt="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/03/health/as-hospital-costs-soar-single-stitch-tops-500.html?pagewanted=all" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001AEj9QBHO0hQE9QDQj-sLgFC7zev2X_S5HOn6WQ2ffZKfAkn7XyOqamBnnYIG7oOrY4oxr7eORRRlfz3MENPwEUgI0VJcp_jWvoB5S7N1S8A7owkDGVCKuaMea8UisUnD04Y3zeNO1RY3EStK2iaktg4uGyH6A-KT-KvdhxK61JZUQDRmPcc1Qw3hj5O3oH6P0Na6iHF3fHM7CvznR6o94qXqumq4dn1ADy9wqCbECp6FOVY53gFGFEOkaUUPAhuLWixiHvUIWacas8Cc5eqyp6_pjaR-zTo4Ii8qKxKnaQ8=&c=_M5DIA_BtvsKItZiLyPntGm24AB654LkQN3180JrOZU5w2bEzrA0-A==&ch=UOGEddugSvMjQp55OJMU27gMZRkjI9kBXvmXggm9E1oi9C7QYVTi0Q==" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">http://www.nytimes.com/2013/<wbr></wbr>12/03/health/as-hospital-<wbr></wbr>costs-soar-single-stitch-tops-<wbr></wbr>500.html?pagewanted=all</a></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Critical Access news for 2015</strong></span>:
The Sutter Coast Board of Directors, noting an influx of patients
seeking treatment, voted to hold off converting Sutter Coast to Critical
Access, but hospital officials "declined to share the census numbers
for 2015 that prompted reconsideration of the Critical Access
application." (<em>source</em>: <a alt="http://www.triplicate.com/News/Local-News/Critical-Access-app-on-hold" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001AEj9QBHO0hQE9QDQj-sLgFC7zev2X_S5HOn6WQ2ffZKfAkn7XyOqamBnnYIG7oOrUEion0OypiLu6IlAq5bDueD1rfLOJf99UKA07nNngO0hu6unuKtW5ityv6k2Llc6xX-R4bsv-jAD2wmYKki1KAyvOxJeM8dM8asmXjYBnwVRyXxe_77OA79kX0Llb96mY6X2kY1GSGPn1je7D_1-BasDqDmanAelPo01K2ryl7c=&c=_M5DIA_BtvsKItZiLyPntGm24AB654LkQN3180JrOZU5w2bEzrA0-A==&ch=UOGEddugSvMjQp55OJMU27gMZRkjI9kBXvmXggm9E1oi9C7QYVTi0Q==" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">http://www.triplicate.com/<wbr></wbr>News/Local-News/Critical-<wbr></wbr>Access-app-on-hold</a>)</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
Hospital CEO Mitch Hanna later confirmed <strong>Sutter Coast's Critical Access application has not been withdrawn</strong>,
so the hospital Board keeps open the option of Critical Access at
Sutter Coast, behind the veil of secrecy of Sutter Coast's closed Board
room. </div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<strong style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Why Is This Important to You? </strong><span style="font-family: 'Arial',' Helvetica',' sans-serif';"><strong>Because
if Sutter Coast downsizes to Critical Access, there will be 50% fewer
available beds, more mandatory emergency patient transfers, plus, higher
out of pocket costs and higher secondary insurance premiums for
Medicare patients. </strong></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">(<em>sources</em>: Office of Inspector General Report Oct., 2014, and Kaiser Health News, 10/7/14)</span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<strong>How you can help address Sutter's high prices, conflicting statements, and closed Board rooms:</strong></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
1. Write The Del Norte Triplicate, letters to the editor, 312 H. St., Crescent City, CA 95531, or by email at <a href="mailto:letters@triplicate.com" target="_blank">letters@triplicate.com</a> Be sure to include your phone number, which is not published.</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
2. Contact me at <a href="mailto:drgjduncan@yahoo.com" target="_blank"><span class="il">drgjduncan@yahoo.com</span></a> if you would like more information, or if you have any information on hospital charges or patient transfers.</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
3.
Join the 4,000 others who have signed the petition at my office,
opposing Sutter's plans to move ownership of Sutter Coast Hospital out
of our county.</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
4. P<span style="font-size: 11pt;">lease read the editorial below, published 10/15/15 in The Del Norte Triplicate, also available at this link: <a alt="http://www.triplicate.com/Opinion/Columns/Sutters-profiteers-cause-for-dismissal" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001AEj9QBHO0hQE9QDQj-sLgFC7zev2X_S5HOn6WQ2ffZKfAkn7XyOqamBnnYIG7oOrzRKzRBkWKNycAaQNyxt9I2OUfPsSue4tCjYFuZpDUHIHlMfn7ulIJsrwHZwYmTEIm6TsriMZn26kJVvU-9abSmXBfhukoBkrqg6871G2lwLK1Xm6U0lqDFxnMpWoWXd8BpLnrl866t3t2UNBI4b0l6QhRI1xmMLu4Y2zmdaepLQ1_Xo_TyCYF-4kZGji0acs&c=_M5DIA_BtvsKItZiLyPntGm24AB654LkQN3180JrOZU5w2bEzrA0-A==&ch=UOGEddugSvMjQp55OJMU27gMZRkjI9kBXvmXggm9E1oi9C7QYVTi0Q==" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">http://www.triplicate.com/<wbr></wbr>Opinion/Columns/Sutters-<wbr></wbr>profiteers-cause-for-dismissal</a></span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
Thank you all for your continued support,</div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
Gregory J. Duncan, M.D.</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
Diplomate, American Board of Orthopedic Surgery</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="1507e70e6944d856_LETTER.BLOCK19"></a><table bgcolor="#FFFFFF" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: white; display: table; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" bgcolor="#000000" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; padding: 5px 8px 5px 8px;" valign="top">
<div>
<b>Sutter's Profiteers Cause for Dismissal</b></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; padding: 7px 8px 11px 8px;" valign="top">
<div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<strong>By Curtis Bower</strong></div>
<div>
<strong><br /></strong></div>
<div>
<strong>October 15, 2015</strong></div>
<div>
<span><br /></span></div>
<div>
<em>(reprinted with permission from The Del Norte Triplicate and Curtis Boewer) </em></div>
<div>
<em><br /></em></div>
<div>
<br /><table><tbody>
<tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: black;">
<div>
In follow up to the excellent headline article regarding Sutter
Coast Hospital's multimillion dollar profits, published Oct. 1 in the
Del Norte Triplicate, please consider the following: </div>
<br /><div style="font-size: 14pt;">
Hospital finances: </div>
<div style="font-size: 14pt;">
<br /></div>
<div>
When
it benefited Sutter Coast to show losses (as the hospital board
attempted to convince our community that hospital downsizing was needed
for financial reasons), Sutter Coast showed losses. When it benefitted
Sutter Coast to show profits (as the healthcare district considers
purchasing Sutter Coast through an eminent domain action), Sutter Coast
shows profits. It seems Sutter can make its books show whatever Sutter
wishes.</div>
<br /><div>
Do the hospital employee salary reductions Mr.
Hanna oversaw apply to him? IRS filings show his 2013 compensation was
$645,399, plus other income described as "deferred in prior form 990."
Was Mr. Hanna's salary reduced in 2014? Hopefully, he will fulfill his
promise made earlier this year to return to a town hall meeting and
discuss hospital finances.</div>
<br /><div style="font-size: 14pt;">
Hospital utilization:</div>
<div style="font-size: 14pt;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<span>Mr.
Hanna repeats the claims of the last two CEOs - the number of patients
using Sutter Coast is declining. Let's think about reasons why fewer
people would be going to Sutter Hospital. Could it be the hospital's
reputation, its high charges for care or the fact that in the past two
years a Sutter surgeon general, a Sutter orthopedic surgeon and a Sutter
family practice doctor have left our area to work elsewhere? Dr. Duncan
and Dr. Davis offer surgery at Mad River Hospital, where charges to
patients are much lower. It seems Sutter administrators are responsible
for the fact fewer patients are choosing to receive care locally.</span></div>
<div>
<span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 14pt;">
Hospital profits:</div>
<br /><div>
Our
community should know that the profits taken in by Sutter Coast are
transferred every two weeks to Sutter Health in Sacramento, where Sutter
executives decide where to spend the money. This may explain why Sutter
Health CEO Pat Fry saw his own salary increase from $2.4 million in
2007 to $6.4 million in 2012. I prefer those profits stay locally - for
more staff and better wages for the hard working employees at Sutter
Coast.</div>
<br /><div>
Finally, I ask two questions: </div>
<br /><div>
Is Sutter Health trustworthy?</div>
<br /><div>
Which is a higher priority for Sutter Health executives - our health care or their salaries?</div>
<br /><div>
<span>As
a former hospital administrator, I support the Del Norte Healthcare
District's effort to expand and improve local health care.</span></div>
<div>
<span><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span>Curtis Boewer</span></div>
<div>
<span><br /></span></div>
<div>
<em>Curtis
Boewer of Crescent City, is a consultant, former administrator of Good
Samaritan Foundation, vice president of Good Samaritan Hospital, both in
San Jose, and a former administrator of Marion Medical Center in Santa
Maria.</em></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /> <br /><em><br /></em></div>
<div>
<em><br /></em></div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Gregory J. Duncan, M.D. |
|
<a href="mailto:gregoryduncan1200@gmail.com" shape="rect" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;" target="_blank">gregoryduncan1200@gmail.com</a> |
1200 Marshall St.<br />
Crescent City,
CA
95531Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642294662648636628.post-65048903450050833452015-04-25T09:00:00.000-07:002015-04-25T09:00:55.463-07:00Sutter Health Does Not Play Nicely in Sandbox<table bgcolor="#FFFFFF" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" width="100%"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin-bottom: 10px; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; padding: 0 15px;"><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">
<b>Sutter Health Does Not Play Nicely in Sandbox</b></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>by Roger Gitlin, Del Norte County Supervisor</b></span></div>
<div>
</div>
<em><b>Originally published in The Del Norte Triplicate, available online at <a href="http://www.triplicate.com/" target="_blank">www.triplicate.com</a></b> (search "Sutter Health" for this article and related information).</em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin-bottom: 10px; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; padding: 0 15px;">
</td>
</tr>
<tr><td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0 15px;">
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table bgcolor="#000000" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: black; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" colspan="1" height="1" rowspan="1" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" width="100%">
<table bgcolor="#000000" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: black; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" colspan="1" height="1" rowspan="1" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="14cf0fbf1a35e67f_LETTER.BLOCK7"></a><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; padding: 0 15px;">
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial Narrow,Arial MT Condensed Light,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">
<br /></div>
<table><tbody>
<tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: #333333;">
<div style="font-size: 14pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<strong>"Who's going to protect the people of Del Norte County?"</strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>Those words of Kevin
Caldwell, M.D., reverberate loudly. It was Dr. Caldwell who first dared
to stand up to the multi-billion dollar goliath Sutter Health by
opposing Sutter's decision to move hospital ownership out of Del Norte
County to the Bay Area and lower the 49-bed Acute Care hospital to a 25
bed Critical Access facility.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span><br /> </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>Dr. Caldwell was the
first local physician to see Sutter's malfeasance. As hospital chief of
staff, he identified Sutter's repeated implementation of patient care
policies without physician input. <strong>Sutter Health was telling doctors how to practice medicine, in violation of California law</strong>.
With great effort, Dr. Caldwell was able to unwind Sutter's illegal
policies. Later, after Sutter Health executives advised the local
hospital Board to dissolve itself and transfer hospital ownership to the
Bay Area, <strong>Dr. Caldwell asked the hospital board chair for a
guarantee Sutter would not close the obstetrics service. Dr. Caldwell
could not get that guarantee.</strong> He stood alone in defense of our community.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span><br /> </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>Dr. Caldwell joins
medical colleagues Mark Davis, M.D., Manfred Ritter, M.D., and Gregory
Duncan, M.D., all of whom have experienced the pain of a revengeful,
insatiable bully, Sutter Health Corporation. Sutter Health, parent of
Sutter Coast Hospital, does not play nicely in the Del Norte sandbox. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>Do you recall hospital
CEO Mitch Hanna's announcement this year that Sutter had suspended its
application for Critical Access designation? Not true. <strong>According
to a letter sent to me by Dana Forney, regional manager of the
California Department of Public Health, as of April 3, no changes to
Sutter Coast's Critical Access application have been reported to CDPH.</strong> Was Mr. Hanna's big announcement just more public relations designed to quiet the growing concern with Sutter's decisions? </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span><br /> </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>The recently-exited
Manfred Ritter, M.D., FACS, a superb surgeon who was recruited to Sutter
in 2010, saw the writing on the wall and has taken his skills to
Seaside, Ore. His recruitment was initiated and endorsed by Sutter
Pacific Medical Foundation. After Dr. Ritter opposed Sutter Health
corporate policy, his contract came up for renewal - with Sutter
slashing his income guarantee by 50 percent. Sutter sent a clear message
to a medical professional who had zero complaints levied against him
and a rating of "superior" from over 98 percent of his patients.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span><br /> </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>Likewise, Dr. Davis
suddenly finds his 22-year urology practice in Del Norte County in
peril. Sutter Health has recently hired another urologist, whose income
will be subsidized with Sutter's tax-exempt war chest, to compete with
Dr. Davis. One might say, "What's the matter with a little friendly
competition? That's good for the economy." To the contrary - the
now-famous Camden Report, commissioned by Sutter, identified numerous
health care needs, including cardiology, nephrology, oncology and mental
health. Likewise, Sutter's Community Health Needs Assessment identified
many unmet health care needs in our county. But neither study
identified a need for a second urologist. Other than driving Dr. Davis
out of town on a rail, what could be the reason Sutter Health has hired
another urologist?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>Dr. Greg Duncan's
experience follows the pattern. After he opposed Sutter's plans to
downgrade the hospital, Dr. Duncan found himself the subject of multiple
investigations by Sutter Health and Sutter Coast Hospital. Dr. Duncan
was forced to spend thousands of dollars and countless hours to defend
himself from Sutter's baseless allegations. <strong>In the end, it was
Sutter who was cited for misbehavior by the Joint Commission (which
evaluates hospitals nationwide) and the California Department of Public
Health (which regulates hospitals in California).</strong></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span><br /> </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>When Sutter's
Exclusive Provider Organization was rolled out this past winter, none of
the local independent doctors were invited into the network. CEO Hanna
said they are part of the Sutter network, yet to date, Sutter has failed
to send local doctors the appropriate paperwork to join, and those
doctors are not part of the Sutter network. Drs. Caldwell, Davis, Ritter
and Duncan each share a public opposition to Sutter Health's quest to
lower hospital status and move all decision-making out of Del Norte
County.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>I would think a
nonprofit "charity" would be obligated to maintain the very highest
level of medical services. Sutter does not play nicely in the sandbox.
It should come as no surprise that local doctors who have worked in our
community for decades now find themselves with a fistful of sand
granules tossed in their eyes.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span> </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>Roger Gitlin is District 1 Del Norte County Supervisor.</span></div>
<div>
<span><br /></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table bgcolor="#000000" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: black; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" colspan="1" height="1" rowspan="1" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="top" width="100%">
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" width="100%">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin-bottom: 10px; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; padding: 0 15px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>Quick Links...</b></span>
<div>
Past newsletters available at <a href="http://your.website.address.here/" shape="rect" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" target="_blank">www.crescentcityhospital.<wbr></wbr>blogspot.com</a><br />See additional stories online at <strong><a href="http://www.crescentcitytimes.com/" target="_blank">www.CrescentCityTimes.com</a></strong></div>
<div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin-bottom: 10px; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; padding: 0 15px;"><span style="font-size: 18.6666660308838px;"><b>How You Can Help</b></span><br /><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt;">If
you support expanded, affordable healthcare in our region, please join
the thousands of citizens who have signed the petition opposing Sutter's
plans, available at my office on 1200 Marshall St., Crescent City, CA
95531 or reply to this email with your thoughts. <strong>Thank you all for your help and support!</strong><br /><br /><em>Greg<br /></em>Gregory J. Duncan, M.D.<br />Diplomate, American Board of Orthopedic Surgery</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642294662648636628.post-63953119031373388072015-02-19T20:08:00.003-08:002015-02-19T20:08:19.870-08:00SUTTER'S EXCLUSIVE HEALTH PLAN EXCLUDES LOCAL PHYSICIANS<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; padding: 7px 8px 7px 8px;" valign="top">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<strong>SUTTER'S EXCLUSIVE HEALTH PLAN EXCLUDES LOCAL PHYSICIANS</strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span><br />by Kevin Caldwell, M.D. and Donna Sund, D.O.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>Many readers are aware
of the new local EPO Health Plan being offered by Sutter Health,
Anthem, and CalPERS. You may or may not be aware that Redwood Medical
Offices and several other local offices are not currently listed on the
provider panel. Here's why:</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>The new EPO plan is an
"Exclusive Provider Organization." This means that in order for you to
be treated, you have to go to an approved provider and an approved
hospital. None of the local independent (non-Sutter affiliated)
providers we contacted were offered an opportunity to join the provider
panel before the initial plan roll-out on <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1109183339" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">January 8</span></span>.
We learned of the plan in the middle of January, when patients
approached our office with letters from Sutter Health/Anthem Blue
Cross/CalPERS, offering them a new health plan in our area. </span><span> </span><span>We
knew nothing of the plan until patients brought us these subscriber
letters, and our patients obviously had many questions and concerns.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>In the past, when a
new health plan was made available, especially to large local employers,
the plan administrator would contact us before the roll-out to offer us
an opportunity to be on the provider panel. However, this time the
list of participating doctors included only Sutter-affiliated providers
(two of whom have already left the area). The only hospital on the
approved list is Sutter Coast Hospital. For 30 years, Redwood Medical
has always been offered participation in local health plans, and we have
been providers for CalPERS/ Anthem since its onset. In fact, we
provide a significant amount of the local primary care to these many
employees and their families, and have done so for decades.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>When we realized our
office was not on the EPO provider list, we immediately contacted Anthem
to learn why not. This was the reply from Anthem Senior Managing
Consultant Mark Johnson: "Sutter is taking the lead on adding
additional Del Norte County physicians into their EPO plan network
providers." Mr. Johnson added that he would forward our concern and
request to be listed on the provider panel to Sutter, but we never heard
back from Sutter or Anthem until later that month.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>On January 27, Sutter
Coast Hospital CEO Mitch Hanna told the hospital Medical Staff that he
understood providers who are on Anthem's PPO list of providers were
eligible to be on the EPO provider list. He invited Medical Staff
members to call him if they were interested in joining the plan. So we
contacted Mr. Hanna</span><span>'</span><span>s office the following
day, indicating our interest in joining the provider list and asking for
more details. But our inquiry to Mr. Hanna about the plan's terms and
restrictions has gone unanswered. Now, halfway through the patient
sign-up period, we are still not on the panel, and have not received any
further information from Sutter or Anthem about the plan.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>Some of our unanswered concerns about the EPO include:</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>(1) According to the
letter sent to plan subscribers, the plan offers "no charge for
inpatient or outpatient" hospitalization (as long as you go to Sutter
Coast Hospital). But according to the actual EPO Disclosure Form, there
is a $250 co-pay charge for endoscopy, cataract surgery, and spinal
injection, and $50 co-pay for an emergency room visit. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span> (2) According to
letters from Sutter Health/CalPERS/Anthem sent out on Jan. 8 and Jan.
19, "members do not need to select a primary care physician." Those
same letters also state that the "EPO Plan is specifically designed to
not require a primary care physician." But according to an email sent to
a local doctor by Nora Nunn Powers, Anthem Regional Director of
Provider Contracting, "the structure of the product requires that any
request for referrals outside of the established/approved EPO panel need
to be directed back to the primary care physician for referrals to
other specialists." </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span> (3) If patients
present emergently to Sutter Coast Hospital and require transfer, either
due to specialized needs, such as a heart attack, or because our local
hospital is </span><span>"</span><span>full</span><span>"</span><span>and
unable to admit more patients, can these patients be transferred, as
has been traditionally done, to the closest available facility (most
often Rogue Valley Medical Center), or will they be transferred to a
Sutter facility at a much further distance in order to stay within the
Sutter network of providers? In addition, many patients are referred
from our office to specialists in southern Oregon or Humboldt County.
Will the new EPO make it impossible for patients to see these usual
specialists?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>As of today, Redwood Medical Offices</span><span> is </span><span>still
not on the EPO provider list. We have made several attempts to learn
the details of the EPO plan, but we continue to wait for answers from
both Sutter and Anthem. We hope these answers will be forthcoming, and
that we will be able to continue to provide our many long-time patients
with the excellent health care they deserve.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /> Sincerely,</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Kevin Caldwell, M.D. Donna Sund, D.O.</span></div>
<div>
Redwood Medical Offices</div>
<div>
1240 Marshall St.</div>
<div>
Crescent City, CA 95531</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642294662648636628.post-14969007947515219782015-02-19T20:06:00.002-08:002015-02-19T20:06:45.274-08:00Highlights of Town Hall with hospital CEO Mitch Hanna
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cols="1024" frame="VOID" rules="NONE">
<colgroup><col width="221"></col><col width="129"></col><col width="135"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col><col width="88"></col></colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="LEFT" height="17" width="221"></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="129"><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">For
those who missed last night's Town Hall debate with me and Sutter Coast
Hospital ("SCH") CEO Mitch Hanna, this newsletter has the highlights.
Although the hospital Board of Directors have still held no public
meetings since they voted to downsize SCH to Critical Access and
transfer hospital ownership out of Del Norte County, I appreciate Mr.
Hanna's willingness to attend last night's event. </span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
Prior hospital articles available at <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mKVduO0nz5ic603honmcb_CjThkk07NIiA9z-6KPezia4hs1dy0XB_cUqSZ9wuMOpbblRmBrG9ctNychpmFkSeXwyKhHWJsVZ-fZQbiAFp12i6bvIFgOMNcNMGnKv_ygYg-OFbxepxjes7m-pl5THmPMWbQ_e7ripAUClkYApUY=&c=61untKFXBMp8aRFBgCmkmxl9oBfXGBXa8ktCiVR0y7ln4d8GYiByvA==&ch=v-s3bk6nQ9yb3oyN7ujZx6MJ2Ip6Kdd7XIgO5UymUKG6HCBuk2JR3Q==" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">www.Triplicate.com</a></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Past newsletters available at <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mKVduO0nz5ic603honmcb_CjThkk07NIiA9z-6KPezia4hs1dy0XB_cUqSZ9wuMOGPv8maomGnkwQeJXrU-H1o1-i1sjdK-Y_LudZwHoRraNOVYzdUPkzZZZyoyLP11GHd6NONylH2cJ1_xx_FahU8s2invIq_qIBol3fYyESaMzM87VY1fftA==&c=61untKFXBMp8aRFBgCmkmxl9oBfXGBXa8ktCiVR0y7ln4d8GYiByvA==&ch=v-s3bk6nQ9yb3oyN7ujZx6MJ2Ip6Kdd7XIgO5UymUKG6HCBuk2JR3Q==" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">www.crescentcitytimes.com</a></span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">More information available at </span><a href="http://your.website.address.here/" shape="rect" style="color: blue; font-size: 11pt;" target="_blank">crescentcityhospital.blogspot.<wbr></wbr>com</a></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; padding: 7px 8px 7px 8px;" valign="top">
<div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<b>Summary of Opening Statement by Greg Duncan, M.D.</b></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Sutter Health and Sutter
Coast Hospital both tax-exempt charities. Sutter Health claims to "act
openly and truthfully in everything we do." As you evaluate both sides
of the Sutter Health conflict, please consider three questions:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<strong>(1) Does Sutter act openly in everything they do? </strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<strong>Fact:</strong>
Despite multiple requests from our elected leaders for Sutter Coast
Hospital to release its Board meeting minutes and financial documents,
Sutter has refused to comply with those requests. SCH holds closed
Board meetings. Last night, SCH CEO Mitch Hanna once again refused to
release Board meeting minutes. Mr. Hanna said he would release some
financial data, adding that Critical Access designation is expected to
bring Sutter an additional $5 million in Medicare payments. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<strong>(2) Does Sutter act truthfully in everything they do?</strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
The following statement is found in the 12/6/13 issue of "NewsPlus," written by former SCH CEO Linda Horn: "<em>CY [calendar year] 2008 was the last year in which the hospital generated a positive operating margin.</em>" The Camden Group stated the same--that 2008 was the last positive year, and that "<em>Sutter Coast is expected to operate at a loss through Fiscal Year ("FY") 2018.</em>"</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<strong>Those are dire statements. They were used to justify downsizing SCH to Critical Access. But are they true?</strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<strong>Fact</strong>:
Sutter Regional CFO John Gates reported that SCH had positive operating
margins in 2009 and 2010. In addition, earnings for both those years
exceeded $5 million for each year.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
What about the prediction of losses through 2018?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-size: 11pt;">Fact:</strong><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> Last month, Mr. Hanna reported SCH was profitable in 2014.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Finally, here is a quote by Linda Horn in her 4/10/14 NewsPlus: "</span><em style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial',' Helvetica',' sans-serif';">There
has been considerable concern and misinformation expressed about
limiting our in-use beds to 25." "To change our bed capacity to 25 is
"right sizing" the hospital. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,' Helvetica',' sans-serif';"><strong>These beds are empty every day--and have been for years." </strong></span></em><em style="font-size: 11pt;">(emphasis added)</em></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<strong>Fact:</strong> Hospital census data shows <strong>62 days</strong> during the period 1/1/12-6/30/13 where the number of hospitalized patients <strong>exceeded 25</strong>. That's 62 days where people would have been flown out, at their expense, without their family or local doctor. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<strong>(3) When you hear information about the hospital, does the person providing it have financial ties to Sutter?</strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Although I am hospital Chief
of Surgery and past Chief of Staff, I have taken no money from Sutter
for those positions. Dr. Caldwell accepted no money from Sutter when he
was Chief of Staff. (Note: public records indicate Mr. Hanna's 2012
salary was $729,754. Sutter Health CEO Pat Fry's 2012 salary was $6.4
million). </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
I present this information not to embarrass Sutter executives or question Sutter Health's integrity. <strong>I do so because LIFE and DEATH decisions for this community are being made in closed Board rooms with false information.</strong> I have more than 50 written or recorded false statements by Sutter Health executives.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Arial',' Helvetica',' sans-serif';"> I think our community deserves better. </span><b style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></b></div>
<br /><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<b>Highlights of Statements by Mitch Hanna, Sutter Coast Hospital CEO</b></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">800 patients were transferred out of Sutter Coast Hospital in 2014 (<em>note:
271 patients were transferred from Sutter Coast to other hospitals in
2006. If nursing home transfers are included, a total of 368 patients
were transferred out of SCH in 2006)</em></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Due
to the increase in the hospital census, Sutter is re-thinking its
decision to implement Critical Access and is holding up the transition</li>
<li style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When an audience member asked if the Critical Access application had been withdrawn, Mr. Hanna responded, "No."</li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Arial',' Helvetica',' sans-serif';">The
reason local independent doctors have not received contracts to
participate in the Sutter Health/Anthem/CalPERS EPO is because Anthem,
not Sutter is in charge of the contracts (<em>note: this contrasts with an email from Anthem senior consultant Mark Johnson stating,</em> "</span><em style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sutter is taking the lead on additional Del Norte County physicians" </em><span style="font-family: 'Arial',' Helvetica',' sans-serif';">and</span><span style="font-family: 'Arial',' Helvetica',' sans-serif';"><em> "Sutter is entirely in charge of these discussions." </em></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Arial',' Helvetica',' sans-serif';">Mr.
Hanna confirmed earlier statements that SCH was profitable in 2014
(note: this is without Critical Access designation or transferring
hospital ownership out of the county)</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table bgcolor="#cccccc" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" bgcolor="#000000" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; padding: 5px 8px 5px 8px;" valign="top">
<div>
<b>How You Can Help</b></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; padding: 7px 8px 11px 8px;" valign="top"><br /><div>
<span>If you believe healthcare decisions should be based on factual information in open meetings, please join our effort.</span></div>
<div>
<span><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span>To
add your name to the more than 4,000 residents who have signed the
petition opposing Sutter's corporate plans, stop by my office on 1200
Marshall St. Forward this information to your friends and post on
social media. Volunteers are needed to distribute newsletters to
residents without internet access.</span></div>
<div>
<span><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span>Most
of all, please consider writing a letter to the California Attorney
General, asking for an investigation of Sutter Health's activities in
our region. Our County Board of Supervisors, Del Norte Healthcare
District, and City Council of Crescent City have already asked Kamala
Harris to investigate Sutter. Please consider repeating that request in
a letter, asking the Attorney General to exercise her authority to open
up Sutter's closed books and investigate Sutter's conflicting
statements.</span></div>
<div>
<span><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span>Please contact me if you would like to see more facts or have any ideas to share.</span></div>
<div>
<span><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span>Here is the contact information for the California Attorney General:</span></div>
<div>
<span><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>The Honorable Kamala Harris</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>California Attorney General</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>Office of the Attorney General<br /> 1300 "I" Street<br /> Sacramento, CA 95814-2919</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>Nathan Barankin, Esq.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>Chief Deputy Attorney General </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>Office of the Attorney General<br /> 1300 "I" Street<br /> Sacramento, CA 95814-2919</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /> </div>
</span></div>
<div>
<span><br /></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td>
<td align="LEFT" width="135"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td><td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
<td align="LEFT" width="88"><br /></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642294662648636628.post-28478887924623320312015-01-03T21:22:00.000-08:002015-01-03T21:22:07.869-08:00Sutter Health: "We Plus You" or "Smoke Plus Mirrors"?<div style="color: white; font-size: 0; height: 0; left: 30%; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: 30%; width: 0; z-index: -9;">
<form action="?ui=html&zy=s" method="post">
</form>
</div>
<div style="height: 1px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: -1000px;">
</div>
<div style="height: 1px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: -1000px;">
Added Gregory Duncan. Press backspace to remove.</div>
<div style="min-height: 100%; position: relative;">
<div class="nH" style="width: 1906px;">
<div class="nH" style="position: relative;">
<div class="nH w-asV aiw">
<div class="nH oy8Mbf">
<div class="a3I">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><b>by Roxie Hazard, Certified Radiologic Technologist</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><b>Is Sutter Health a not for profit charity, or just a secretive "for
profit" corporation in disguise? Read more and decide for yourself . .
. </b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">This
article investigates the workings of Sutter Health Corporation, a
multibillion dollar California healthcare company which has transitioned
from its former role as manager of community owned hospitals, to its
new role as controlling entity of multi-hospital corporations. Why is
this important? Because Sutter now charges 60% more than the statewide
average for healthcare. If you have health insurance of any kind, or
you have ever been treated at a Sutter facility, Sutter Health's pricing
power impacts you. The following is my experience with Sutter Health,
as a former employee of Sutter Coast Hospital ("SCH"), a locally owned
community hospital for which Sutter Health is the manager.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>It's been just about a
year since the online report of Sutter's self-funded $170,000
"independent" Strategic Options Study on the future of SCH. Sutter
muted the telephone lines so participants could not hear each other's
questions during the internet presentation. "The Study" was followed by
an extensive radio and newspaper advertising campaign. Ironically,
after two years of Sutter executives denying they were considering
downsizing the hospital to a Critical Access facility, the Sutter funded
"Study" reported the best option was to convert to Critical Access
Hospital. <b>That means more money for Sutter Health--triple the amount which SCH is now able to charge to Medicare. Go figure.</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>The highlights of our local on-going hospital controversy:</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span> </span><span>2011: the hospital Board <b>deliberately excluded our community</b>
from its decision to "Regionalize" SCH (transfer hospital ownership to a
SF Bay Area corporation controlled by Sutter Health). Community outcry
forced Sutter to hold up the transfer of ownership.</span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span> <span>2012: County Board of Supervisors <b>requested the hospital Board release its meeting minutes and financial data.</b> Sutter refused. Today, Sutter continues to refuse.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span> 2012: The
Del Norte Triplicate prints the following quote: "Meanwhile, another
local doctor serving on the hospital's Board of Directors has called
regionalization "a merger that may save the hospital" from financial
ruin and closure."</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" shape="rect"><span>[1] </span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span> 2013: The headline article in the Curry Coastal Pilot reads: "</span><span>CEO: Sutter Coast Hospital losing money."</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" shape="rect"><span>[2]</span></a><span> </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span> </span><span> 2013: <b>Hospital Interim CEO announced Critical Access designation is "not being discussed."</b> (Note that later in 2013, the hospital Board voted to downsize the hospital to a Critical Access facility).</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span> 2014:
According to members of a City/County/Healthcare District committee,
Sutter Health's Regional CEO claims Sutter Coast Hospital turned
profitable in 2014. Really? <span>The Critical Access application has not been approved yet!</span> <b> I thought the hospital needed to Regionalize and downsize in order to stay afloat. Now we learn that's not true!</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>As an employee of
Sutter for over 16 years, I watched Sutter morph from manager of three
local community hospitals striving to become the "employer of choice" in
Sacramento to a powerful, monied, extremely successful business
machine. While they frequently speak of their "not-for- profit
mission," Sutter's actions seem more about enhancing profits. <b>Ask
Pat Fry, Sutter President and CEO -- it was Sutter's "enhancing profits
mission" that made his 53% wage increase possible in 2012!</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>Sutter's list of
attorneys, executives and consultants are proven capable to ensure
whatever Mother Sutter wants, Mother Sutter gets. If Sutter was a
private, for-profit corporation, we'd all be impressed. BUT, Sutter
Health and SCH are not-for-profit corporations. Their income is based
on billions in tax exempt bonds and tax-free operations. According to
the IRS tax code, Sutter is required to operate for tax-exempt
(charitable) purposes, not to the benefit of any individual. It would
seem Mr. Fry's salary increase, from $2.3 million to $6.4 million
between 2007 and 2012, may be inconsistent with a charitable, tax-exempt
purpose.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>Last month, Sutter
Health announced a new corporate structure plan that will collapse five
existing Regional corporations into two Divisional corporations in
2015. Here's a quote from Sutter about the new structure: <i>"Within
this new design, we emphasize the total patient experience; how we
present externally facing products to our customers; innovation, data
and analytics; and a stronger discipline in driving change across our
Sutter Health network." </i> Who knows what that means? I don't. <b>Perhaps it's "Sutter Speak" for "we plan to have even greater monopoly power across our network."</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<b>Sutter still holds closed
Board meetings, refuses to release meeting notes or financial data,
spends hundreds of thousands of tax-exempt dollars on self-funded
"independent" studies and advertising campaigns, charges 60% more than
average, pays its executives millions, makes conflicting statements,
operated SCH in violation of California law, and pays no taxes to the
communities it serves.</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>So what do you think?
Is "We Plus You," just "Smoke Plus Mirrors" from a not-for-profit
acting like a for-profit? I think it is. But even more distressing is
that our hospital Board continues to discount or acknowledge questions
and concerns from over 4,000 area residents . . . friends, neighbors and
patients of SCH. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>It's time to end Sutter's secrecy and restore fair market prices to Sutter's facilities. <b>If you would like to join this effort, please write me at <a href="mailto:roxiehazard@charter.net" target="_blank">roxiehazard@charter.net</a> </b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span><b>If you would like
to join our city and county leaders, which have already asked the
California Attorney General to investigate Sutter Health, please ask the
Attorney General to investigate Sutter by writing to:</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<b>The Honorable Kamala Harris</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<b>Office of the Attorney General, Antitrust Division</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<b>300 So. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90013</b><b style="font-size: 11pt;"> </b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: red; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span><b>Please forward this article to friends, and post on social media sites.</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span><br />Working together, something very good could come of all this.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>Roxie Hazard, CRT</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>Crescent City</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span><a href="mailto:roxiehazard@charter.net" target="_blank">roxiehazard@charter.net</a></span></div>
<a class="J-Ke" href="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/14aa5a27dedb0947" id=":f" target="_top"></a></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="nH">
<div class="no">
<div class="nH oy8Mbf nn aeN" style="height: 814px; width: 202px;">
<div class="akc aZ6" role="complementary" style="height: 397px;">
<div class="T0 pp aj3">
<div class="ApVoH s">
<div class="pt" id=":mc">
<div class="">
<div class="vB">
<table cellpadding="0" class="vH" id=":nv" role="listbox" tabindex="0"><tbody class="vC " id=":r0" role="option">
<tr class="M3aZbb a8e"><td><br /></td><td class="vr" id=":r3"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody><tbody class="vC " id=":r9" role="option">
<tr class="M3aZbb a8e"><td><br /></td><td class="vr" id=":rc"><br /></td><td class="vr" id=":rc"><br /></td><td class="vr" id=":rc"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody><tbody class="vC " id=":ri" role="option">
<tr class="M3aZbb a8e"><td><br /></td><td class="vr" id=":rl"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Portions of this article were originally published in The Del Norte Triplicate, available online at </span><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001KgkHp3-Z8eEh15Y6IYrvdLzTrHEiR1GwMnOq0RDsrlFSxkLIaBFjKE0QY5zAz4Vo0NwfFFkdzyrvknYC2JVvzBp2xB7ZY3LX3-7qgea8XL_RK8vcy0ddAR5s1EbpQBb8DDrB9UMEa6QM7jptl1zDZeJh9Gb7SZTJMt2uXp7GixKB6bkLdjfln__tSwgYHOSxpfcRuHRm93iJ_oUg12zaFXgPUmS587qcueNeJsf8XoZ8ytGsJ7oxoBPVaMkAlcXjNrGmDiv3elGA5jORINe8092F-lPm8PK7&c=6rBez_bQsMGCWvvsdiNIRehQHIVNuRI95E0DSKSHgQDkSqnxZ2tkEA==&ch=4w-sCnrZnfKWxLVIcY1A8pgdg3Aia80mOXVaeHOWJ02ifWw1JXZU9g==" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">http://www.triplicate.com/<wbr></wbr>Opinion/Columns/Coastal-<wbr></wbr>Voices-Sutter-Health-We-plus-<wbr></wbr>you-or-smoke-plus-mirrors</a></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody><tbody class="vC " id=":rr" role="option">
<tr class="M3aZbb a8e"><td><br /></td><td class="vr" id=":ru"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody><tbody class="vC " id=":s0" role="option">
<tr class="M3aZbb a8e"><td><br /></td><td class="vr" id=":s3"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody><tbody class="vC " id=":s9" role="option">
<tr class="M3aZbb a8e"><td><br /></td><td class="vr" id=":sc"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody><tbody class="vC " id=":si" role="option">
<tr class="M3aZbb a8e"><td><br /></td><td class="vr" id=":sl"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody><tbody class="vC " id=":sr" role="option">
<tr class="M3aZbb a8e"><td><br /></td><td class="vr" id=":su"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody><tbody class="vC " id=":t0" role="option">
<tr class="M3aZbb a8e"><td><br /></td><td class="vr" id=":t3"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody><tbody class="vC " id=":t9" role="option">
<tr class="M3aZbb a8e"><td><br /></td><td class="vr" id=":tc"><span class="az1 " id=":tb"></span><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="nH nn" style="width: 1704px;">
<div class="nH">
<div class="nH">
<div class=" ar4 z">
<div class="aeH" id=":5">
<div class=" G-atb D E">
<div class="iH">
<div>
<div class="G-Ni J-J5-Ji">
<div class="T-I J-J5-Ji T-I-Js-IF ar7 ns T-I-ax7 L3" id=":u3" role="button" tabindex="0" title="Move to">
<div class="G-asx T-I-J3 J-J5-Ji">
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="AO">
<div class="Tm aeJ" id=":4" style="height: 804px;">
<div class="aeF" id=":2" style="min-height: 372px;">
<div class="nH">
<div class="nH" role="main">
<div class="nH g id">
<div class="nH">
<table cellpadding="0" class="Bs nH iY" role="presentation"><tbody>
<tr><td class="Bu"><br /></td><td class="Bu yM"><br /></td><td class="Bu y3" style="height: 737px;"><div class="nH adC" role="complementary" style="position: absolute; right: 30px; top: 47px; width: 220px;">
<div class="nH">
<div class="nH anT">
<div class="nH">
<div class="anr" id=":qr">
<div class="anL" id=":ps">
<table class="cf an5" id=":ps"><tbody>
<tr><td class="anS" rowspan="3"><br /></td><td class="anQ" dir="undefined"><span class="e" id=":og" tabindex="0" title="Gregory Duncan">Gregory Duncan</span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="anO" id=":pt"><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="a0F"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<div class="an3 e" id=":us">
<span role="link" tabindex="0">Show details</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642294662648636628.post-28140585525175422472014-09-24T19:36:00.000-07:002014-09-24T19:36:06.439-07:00Latest news on Sutter Health's plans for our region<div>
Guest Editorial by former Sutter hospital employee</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background: transparent; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="padding: 0px 12px 0px 12px;" valign="top" width="100%">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="right" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; padding: 7px 8px 0px 8px;" valign="top">
<div>
<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1238385506" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">September 24, 2014</span></span> </div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold; padding: 7px 8px 7px 8px;" valign="top">
<div>
Latest news on Sutter Health's closed door decisions</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; padding: 0px 8px 0px 8px;" valign="top">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;">
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" colspan="1" height="1" rowspan="1" style="height: 1px; line-height: 1px; padding-bottom: 11px;"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" hspace="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjijIKhQGB2qQN2dyyGpO37_f8tOQcwjX6f2O4uQxAnmD-q6z5wE-l2w_OK17TvdJApQ61oq7e-9NHpsjR6-OojlehyUwkm7kGpint6CzUlKgnPOn-3fT48yI4A52NPqQwovpPAU9_OKT__c4mIyBgKZPZHW7IkWff8IiVs0s__5f4=s0-d-e1-ft" style="display: block;" vspace="0" width="5" /></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background: transparent; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="padding: 0px 12px 0px 12px;" valign="top" width="100%">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; padding: 7px 8px 7px 8px;" valign="top">
<div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>Introduction by Dr. Greg Duncan:</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>Today's guest
editorial is written by Marcy Bohannon, former Sutter Coast Hospital
Medical Staff coordinator. Marcy discusses her experience with having
her husband transferred to another hospital by air ambulance--an event
which will become more common if Sutter Coast Hospital enacts the
decision by its Board of Directors to downsize to a Critical Access
facility.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<strong>We are facing two very different futures for healthcare in our region. </strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Sutter future</span>:
Downsize the hospital, outsource jobs, disband the local hospital
Board, and transfer hospital ownership to a Sutter corporation 350 miles
away, where Sutter executives make all future decisions on our hospital
care. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Our model</span>: Expand health services, add doctors, retain local jobs, and continue local hospital ownership and governance.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>If you support our
model, please stop by my office on 1200 Marshall St. to pick up more
information and add your name to the thousands of residents who oppose
Sutter's plans for our community. We also need volunteers to help
distribute petitions, and we want to hear your experiences and ideas
about healthcare. Feel free to send me an email at <a href="mailto:drgjduncan@yahoo.com" target="_blank">drgjduncan@yahoo.com</a>.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>Three years ago,
Sutter Health began their plan to transfer ownership of Sutter Coast
Hospital to Sutter's multi-hospital corporation in San Francisco.
Thanks to your efforts to oppose Sutter, Sutter Coast still remains a
locally owned hospital, and has not yet downsized to Critical Access
designation. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>Sutter Health is now
the focus of a national crisis--healthcare costs. Locally we see the
impact in our hospital bills. Less well known are Sutter's other
decisions, made in the secrecy of the closed hospital Board room, where
Sutter Health executives bring their plans to our community. But thanks
to you, the word is getting out--our newsletter is read by more than
50,000 citizens statewide, from all backgrounds and political
affiliations. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>Greg Duncan</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>Gregory J. Duncan, M.D.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span>Diplomate, American Board of Orthopedic Surgery</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
Please post this newsletter on social media, and forward to interested friends. Prior newsletters available at: <a href="http://your.website.address.here/" shape="rect" style="color: blue; font-size: 11pt;" target="_blank">www.crescentcityhospital.<wbr></wbr>blogspot.com</a></div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="148a97fb4a76a56e_LETTER.BLOCK19"></a><table bgcolor="#FFFFFF" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: white; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" bgcolor="#000000" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; padding: 5px 8px 5px 8px;" valign="top">
<div>
Guest Editorial by Marcy Bohannon, Crescent City, CA</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; padding: 7px 8px 11px 8px;" valign="top">
<div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<strong> Critical Access Hospital: Benefit to Sutter Health and Impact on Us</strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
As a retired employee of
Sutter Coast Hospital (SCH), I would like to share my thoughts on the
SCH Board of Director's decision to downsize SCH to a "Critical Access"
hospital. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
My husband and I know from
personal experience the burdens, both financial and personal, that a
family suffers when a loved one has to be transferred to a hospital in
another city to receive their care. Not only are there ground and air
ambulance fees, but no insurance pays for a family to travel to the
hospital of transfer, nor do they cover the cost of lodging for the
patient's family or the cost of the return trip home.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Our local SCH Board decided
to downsize our local hospital from 49 beds to 25 beds to qualify for
higher Medicare payments. It is not possible to know exactly how many
patients will need to be flown out for the lack of beds or lack of
hospital staff, but here is something that both Sutter Health and our
community agree on:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<strong>If Sutter downsizes
the hospital, more of our local residents and visitors will require an
emergency air flight to another hospital. In other words, both sides
agree it will be ugly; the only question is, how ugly?</strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Besides the huge cost,
transferring people to other hospitals is harmful because it often means
family and friends cannot be with their loved ones when they are
hospitalized. Separating patients from their family and friends is
harmful to the healing process. Keeping family and friends together is
very comforting for the patient, family, and the hospital staff, and
helps ensure the patient receives his or her usual medications.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<strong>Here is a final
point of agreement between our community and Sutter: Critical Access
will bring more money to Sutter Health. But the money does not stay in
the community. </strong> Every two weeks, Sutter Health removes all of
the "excess cash" from the hospital and transfers it to the "Sutter
Health Treasury," where the money becomes the property of Sutter
Health. No wonder Sutter Health wants to downsize us to Critical
Access. But what does that say about priorities?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Sutter Health is a tax
exempt charity. On paper, they are required to act in the public
interest. But in reality, Sutter's high charges for care and
skyrocketing executive salaries are benefitting Sutter executives, not
the public. We can stop Sutter's plans for us, and bring their actions
to light. But only if we speak up, and work together. Please share
your thoughts with Dr. Duncan.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Marcy Bohannon</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Crescent City</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background: transparent; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="padding: 0px 12px 0px 12px;" valign="top" width="100%">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; padding: 7px 8px 7px 8px;" valign="top">
<div>
Gregory J. Duncan, M.D. |
|
<a href="mailto:gregoryduncan1200@gmail.com" shape="rect" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;" target="_blank">gregoryduncan1200@gmail.com</a> |
1200 Marshall St.<br />
Crescent City,
CA
95531<br />
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background: transparent; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;" valign="middle" width="100%">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" colspan="1" height="1" rowspan="1" style="height: 1px; line-height: 1px; padding-bottom: 11px;"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" hspace="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjijIKhQGB2qQN2dyyGpO37_f8tOQcwjX6f2O4uQxAnmD-q6z5wE-l2w_OK17TvdJApQ61oq7e-9NHpsjR6-OojlehyUwkm7kGpint6CzUlKgnPOn-3fT48yI4A52NPqQwovpPAU9_OKT__c4mIyBgKZPZHW7IkWff8IiVs0s__5f4=s0-d-e1-ft" style="display: block;" vspace="0" width="5" /></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /> Copyright © 2014. All Rights Reserved.<br /> <br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642294662648636628.post-48553296799521637392014-09-23T21:45:00.000-07:002014-09-23T21:49:15.081-07:00California Medical Association and Medical Society Position Statement on Sutter Health's plans for hospital care in Del Norte County<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="background: #D6D6D6; mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 10.5pt 10.5pt 10.5pt 10.5pt;" valign="top">
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 100.0%;" valign="top" width="100%">
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 600px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 100.0%;" valign="top" width="100%">
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 5.25pt 6.0pt 5.25pt 6.0pt;" valign="top">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Please share this
with friends and post on social media sites <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: .75pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="height: .75pt; padding: 0in 0in 8.25pt 0in;">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: .75pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype
id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t"
path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/>
<v:formulas>
<v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"/>
</v:formulas>
<v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"/>
<o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"/>
</v:shapetype><v:shape id="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" alt=""
style='width:3.75pt;height:.75pt'/><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img border="0" height="1" src="file:///C:\Users\Danny\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.gif" style="display: block;" v:shapes="_x0000_i1025" width="5" /><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 600px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="background: black; padding: .75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;" valign="top">
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="background: white; mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;" valign="top">
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 100.0%;" valign="top" width="100%"></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0in 9.0pt 0in 9.0pt; width: 100.0%;" valign="top" width="100%">
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 5.25pt 6.0pt 0in 6.0pt;" valign="top">
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">June 18,
2014 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 5.25pt 6.0pt 5.25pt 6.0pt;" valign="top">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In This Issue<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0in 6.0pt 0in 6.0pt;" valign="top">
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 5.25pt 0in;" valign="top">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://ui.constantcontact.com/visualeditor/visual_editor_preview.jsp?agent.uid=1117581929156#LETTER.BLOCK16"><span style="color: blue;">Calif. Medical Assoc. and local Medical Society
oppose Sutter Health's plans</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: .75pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="height: .75pt; padding: 0in 0in 8.25pt 0in;">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: .75pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="_x0000_i1026" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="" style='width:3.75pt;
height:.75pt'/><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img border="0" height="1" src="file:///C:\Users\Danny\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.gif" style="display: block;" v:shapes="_x0000_i1026" width="5" /><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0in 9.0pt 0in 9.0pt; width: 100.0%;" valign="top" width="100%">
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 5.25pt 6.0pt 5.25pt 6.0pt;" valign="top">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Today's newsletter regarding the
future of healthcare on California's north coast is provided by the
California Medical Association (CMA) and the Humboldt-Del Norte
County Medical Society, with an introduction by Mark H. Davis, a
urologist in Crescent City. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">T</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">he CMA joins
local city and county opposition to Sutter Health's plans to downsize
and transfer ownership of locally owned Sutter Coast Hospital to
Sutter's Regional Corporation in San Francisco. Transfer of
community owned hospitals to Sutter's Regional corporations is a
statewide effort known as "Regionalization"--a fundamental
shift from community based hospitals to regionally owned hospital
groups. <b>Future newsletters will show the link between
Regionalization and an increase in Sutter executive salaries and your
healthcare costs. </b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Learn more at </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="http://your.website.address.here/?id=preview" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 12.0pt;">www.crescentcityhospital.blogspot.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="background: #555555; mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 3.75pt 6.0pt 3.75pt 6.0pt;" valign="top">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Introduction by Mark H. Davis, M.D.</span></b><span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 5.25pt 6.0pt 5.25pt 6.0pt;" valign="top">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">As Chairman of the Del Norte District of the
Humboldt-Del Norte Medical Society, past Trustee of the California
Medical Association, and the local urologist in Crescent City for the
past 21 years, it is my responsibility to share with you the Medical
Society/CMA policy statement on Sutter Health's activities in our
community.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">This statement discusses decisions by Sutter Health and
the Board of Sutter Coast Hospital ("SCH") to convert SCH
to a Critical Access facility, to transfer ownership of SCH out of our
community and into a Sutter controlled corporation in San Francisco,
and to end local authority over hospital governance, including
patient care policies and physician credentialing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Please contact me with any comments or ideas on how we
can expand and improve access to affordable healthcare.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Mark H. Davis, M.D.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Diplomate, American Board of Urology<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">mhdavismd@gmail.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="background: black; padding: 3.75pt 6.0pt 3.75pt 6.0pt;" valign="top">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Public Statement by the California
Medical Association and Humboldt-Del Norte Medical Society</span></b><span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 5.25pt 6.0pt 8.25pt 6.0pt;" valign="top">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">HUMBOLDT-DEL NORTE COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">P.O. BOX 6457<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">EUREKA, CALIFORNIA 95502-6457<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">(707) 442-2367 * FAX (707) 442-8134<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">E-mail: hancms@sbcglobalmet * www.hdacms.org<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">May 21, 2014<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">To Whom It May Concern:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Since its founding in 1886, the Humboldt-Del Norte
County Medical Society has been a voice for physicians and their
patients in the rural communities of northwest California. The
medical society is aware of on-going controversial efforts by
Sutter Health Corporation to restructure the governance of Sutter
Coast Hospital and to convert it to a critical access hospital.
Serious concerns have been raised should Sutter Health follow
through with its plans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The board of Sutter Coast Hospital has voted to accept a
"regionalization" plan imposed by Sutter Health
through which the hospital would fully merge into the Sutter Health
West Bay Region. The local hospital board would cede all
governing authority over Sutter Coast to a regional board that
sits roughly 350 miles away in San Francisco and oversees approximately
14 other health care facilities, all in the Bay Area.
Physicians, civic leaders and local citizens have expressed
opposition to "regionalization" and feel the local hospital
board made its decision without adequate input from Sutter
Coast's medical staff and community stakeholders. It is also<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">believed that the local hospital board and other
proponents of regionalization do not fully understand or
appreciate the consequences of giving up responsibility to oversee
the hospital and the importance of local control over governance
issues that affect the medical staff, such as oversight
authority on peer review, privileging and medical staff bylaws.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Independent review of the regionalization plan has also
raised red flags. An attorney retained by the medical staff at
Sutter Coast determined that regionalization would improperly usurp
the rights and duties of the medical staff and interfere with
its right of self-governance. Similarly, an attorney with the
California Medical Association expressed the opinion that the plan
to regionalize Sutter Coast Hospital has serious potential to
upset the proper balance between the medical staff and the
hospital governing board.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Strong local opposition forced Sutter Health to put its
restructuring plans on hold, but the hospital corporation
continues to push for final implementation of its regionalization
plan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Sutter Health's efforts to restructure Sutter Coast also
has triggered a lawsuit by Beverly Hussey, whose late husband
donated the land on which the hospital sits to the county in 1988,
for use as an acute care hospital. Mrs. Hussey's lawsuit claims
that Sutter Health's desire to convert Sutter Coast to a
critical access hospital violates the conditions of her husband's
gift and would have a negative impact on the availability and
accessibility of medical care at the hospital.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The county medical society, along with the California
Medical Association backed by California law, strongly believes
that governance over Sutter Coast must prioritize local medical staff
self-governance and ensure adequate access to the highest possible
level of medical care. The citizens of Del Norte County deserve
nothing less. Sutter Health therefore must respect and fully address
the serious concerns that have been raised by local physicians
and citizens, who are legitimately questioning the wisdom and
legality of Sutter Health's efforts to regionalize Sutter Coast
and turn it into a critical access hospital.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">John Mastroni, M.D.
John Nelson, M.D.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">President
President-elect<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Humboldt-Del Norte County Medical Society<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 5.25pt 6.0pt 5.25pt 6.0pt;" valign="top">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">We appreciate the support of more than 3,000 local
residents who have signed a petition opposing Sutter's plans for our
region. If you would like to add your name, receive future
newsletters, or learn more, please stop by my office at 1200 Marshall
St., Crescent City, or email me at drgjduncan@yahoo.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Your comments on how to improve and expand our region's
healthcare are also appreciated.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Greg Duncan<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Gregory J. Duncan, M.D.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0in 9.0pt 0in 9.0pt; width: 100.0%;" valign="top" width="100%">
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 5.25pt 6.0pt 5.25pt 6.0pt;" valign="top">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Gregory J.
Duncan, M.D. | | <a href="mailto:gregoryduncan1200@gmail.com" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">gregoryduncan1200@gmail.com</span></a> |
1200 Marshall St.<br />
Crescent City, CA 95531<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 100.0%;" width="100%">
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: .75pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="height: .75pt; padding: 0in 0in 8.25pt 0in;">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: .75pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="_x0000_i1027" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="" style='width:3.75pt;
height:.75pt'/><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img border="0" height="1" src="file:///C:\Users\Danny\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.gif" style="display: block;" v:shapes="_x0000_i1027" width="5" /><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 100.0%;" valign="top" width="100%">
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 600px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 100.0%;" valign="top" width="100%">
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0in 6.0pt 0in 6.0pt;" valign="top">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
Copyright © 2014. All Rights Reserved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15435627294934231361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642294662648636628.post-45329474159610840182014-04-21T13:56:00.000-07:002014-04-21T13:57:33.697-07:00Lawsuit Targets Critical Access - Newspaper article<h4>
Beverly Hussey contends hospital violated contract </h4>
<div class="p1">
A lawsuit against Sutter Coast Hospital has been filed by the widow of
the donor of the land where it was built, saying that plans to convert
the facility to a Critical Access Hospital violates the donation
contract stating Sutter must maintain an acute care hospital.
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">The lawsuit filed by Beverly Hussey also claims that
three hospital board members who are also employees of Sutter Health
violated the obligations of a charitable trust by not recusing
themselves from votes to convert to Critical Access and to “regionalize”
(merge the local hospital with a Bay Area-based Sutter corporation).
By voting, the board members were acting in their own interest and not
the community’s, according to the suit. </span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">“The board members violated their respective duties
against self-dealing because they stood to benefit from bonuses paid to
employees of Sutter Health,” states the lawsuit filed March 26 by a Los
Angeles-based law firm known for prominent anti-trust cases against
large corporations. Since Critical Access status would increase revenue
for Sutter Health, “the board members stood to benefit financially from
their votes,” the suit states.</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">Michael Duncheon, Sutter Health’s regional legal
counsel, said in an email that “Sutter Coast Hospital is and will remain
an acute care hospital. Critical Access does not change that reality,”
he said.</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">“The allegation that employees on the Board stood to
benefit from regionalization is false and libelous” and could result in a
countersuit, Duncheon wrote.</span>
</div>
<div class="p4">
<span class="s3"> </span>
</div>
<h4>
<span class="s3">Donation was 26 years ago</span></h4>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">In 1988, Francis “Sonny” Hussey donated several acres
on Washington Boulevard to Sutter Coast Hospital on the condition that
the property “shall be used primarily for healthcare related purposes.
Permissible uses shall include, but not be limited to, acute care
hospital, medical laboratories, medical offices, trauma centers,
convalescent care and similar uses,” states the 1988 contract.</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">According to the suit, Sonny Hussey was motivated to
improve health care in Del Norte County after a car accident in 1959
sent his loaded gasoline truck hurtling 150 feet down a mountainside. </span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">“For approximately eight hours Mr. Hussey lay
undiscovered until a passing logger by chance saw the wreckage. The
logger clambered down the steep cliff and found Mr. Hussey only
semi-conscious with a crushed chest,” the lawsuit states. “Mr. Hussey’s
near death experience triggered Mr. Hussey to donate an unprecedented
and substantial amount of his real property to Sutter in order for
Sutter to develop and maintain an acute care hospital.”</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">Sutter Coast Hospital, which was operating the old
Seaside Hospital building on A Street via a lease through the Del Norte
Healthcare District, agreed to build the hospital on the donated
property, opening its doors in 1992.</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">“The old facility leaked and we had a lot of problems,”
said Gerald Cochran, who as chairman of Sutter Coast Hospital in 1988,
signed the agreement with Hussey.</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">The lawsuit states that Sutter Coast violated the
contract for the donation on Dec. 5, 2013, when the Board of Directors
“voted to change Sutter’s designation from a full service acute care
hospital to a critical access facility.”</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">The plaintiff’s lawyers said that if the implementation
of a Critical Access hospital continues during the lawsuit, they might
seek a temporary restraining order and/or a preliminary injunction
blocking the conversion.</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">“We definitely think there are strong grounds that
would prevent the downgrade by looking at the contractual language and
intent of the agreement,” said Majed Dakak, an attorney for the law firm
handling the case, Blecher Collins Pepperman and Joye P.C. “What Sutter
is doing is really putting the community in peril.”</span>
</div>
<div class="p4">
<span class="s3"> </span>
</div>
<h4>
<span class="s3">What’s an acute care hospital?</span></h4>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">According to California state law, a “general acute
care hospital” is a facility that “provides 24-hour inpatient care,
including the following basic services: medical, nursing, surgical,
anesthesia, laboratory, radiology, pharmacy, and dietary services.”</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">Sutter Coast Hospital has no plans to eliminate any of those services, according to Duncheon.</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">Since Sutter Coast is already qualified as a “rural
general acute care hospital,” the facility is not required to provide
surgery and anesthesia services, according to state law. Duncheon said
that there are no plans to eliminate or even reduce surgical or
anesthesia services.</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">The suit states that there is no incentive to maintain
or expand services as a Critical Access hospital, “which is contrary to
the language and intent of the (contract).”</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">In information provided by Duncheon, Sutter Health
states that all services will remain under Critical Access designation,
including: in- and out-patient surgery, OB services, “24/7/365 MD in the
hospital for the Emergency Department” and “24/7/365 hospitalist,” lab
services, radiology services, respiratory therapy services,
rehabilitation services, 24/7 case management, and a pharmacy for
inpatients.</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">State law clearly states that Critical Access hospitals are also considered general acute care hospitals:</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">“Every hospital designated by the department as a
critical access hospital and certified as such by the United States
Department of Health and Human Services shall be deemed to be a general
acute care hospital.”</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">The state could waive certain acute care requirements
for Critical Access hospitals if “it is in the public interest to do so”
and “the waiver would not negatively affect the quality of patient
care,” according to state law.</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">Asked how the plaintiff’s case would reconcile with the
state law saying Critical Access hospitals are acute care hospitals,
Dakak said “that’s going to get into legal strategy so I can’t comment
on that.”</span>
</div>
<div class="p4">
<span class="s3"></span>
</div>
<h4>
<span class="s3">Critical Access concerns</span></h4>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">The lawsuit states that if Sutter Coast converts to
Critical Access as planned it will be “creating a tremendous burden on
and at times a complete barrier to acute care treatment at Sutter.”</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">Since Critical Access facilities have a cap of 25
in-patient beds, there is likely to be an increase in patient transfers
to other hospitals. The lawsuit says that a patient could be forced to
wait for several hours while an acceptable facility is located to accept
the patient.</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">Sutter Coast interim CEO Linda Horn recently wrote in a
Triplicate Coastal Voices piece that “if we were already a Critical
Access hospital ... in the last 12 months, we would have had to transfer
approximately 40 additional patients out.”</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">Horn said this would be a 6 percent increase in patient
transfers while acknowledging that “I understand that if you are one of
those patients, it doesn’t matter to you if it’s one or 40.”</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">Beverly Hussey, who has had to go to Sutter Coast
several times but has never been air-ambulanced to another hospital, was
less not impressed, saying of Horn’s writing: </span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">“She’s telling everyone how wonderful it’s going to be while encouraging everyone to join Cal -Ore Life Flight.” </span>
</div>
<div class="p4">
<span class="s3"></span>
</div>
<h4>
<span class="s3">Necessary to stay afloat?</span></h4>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">Besides the claims based on Sutter Coast not
maintaining an acute care hospital, the lawsuit ‘s other claim is based
on certain Sutter Coast board members acting in their own self interest,
violating the hospital’s charitable trust status.</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">“These board members, who stood to benefit directly or
indirectly, by virtue of transferring hospital ownership and governance,
should have recused themselves but instead participated and voted for
regionalization” and to “downgrade the hospital’s status,” the lawsuit
states.</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">Sutter Coast officials have stated that converting to a
Critical Access hospital, which receives cost-based Medicare payments,
is necessary to stay financially afloat, but the lawsuit alleges that
the conversion is being pursued out of “corporate greed” in an attempt
to “game the system.”</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">The lawsuit states that Sutter Coast was profitable
every year from 1985 until 2010 (Sutter officials said that the hospital
has had financial losses since 2009). In 2011 the hospital started
operating without a chief financial officer (illegally, according to the
lawsuit).</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">“Thus, the decision to convert to Critical Access was
based on claims of financial losses during the only period in Sutter’s
history when the hospital was illegally operating without a Chief
Financial Officer,” the lawsuit states.</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">This was the also the time that the hospital was moving
toward regionalization, and the lawsuit claims that the votes for
regionalization and Critical Access violated the obligations of a
charitable trust, including “its duty to avoid self dealing.”</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">Duncheon responded that the hospital has always
operated with the “requisite financial staff” and that when the
locally-based CFO, Jim Strong, stepped down, his duties were fulfilled
by John Gates a Sutter CFO based in San Francisco.</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">“There is no merit to the claim that an alleged lack of CFO had anything to do with the losses,” Duncheon said.</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">In February, Mrs. Hussey and her attorneys sent a
letter to Sutter Coast demanding that the hospital retract the decision
to downgrade, as the contract gives Sutter 30 days to correct violations
of the contract.</span>
</div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s3">“Sutter has refused to alter its decision to downgrade the hospital status,” the lawsuit states.</span>
</div>
<span class="s4"><i>Reach Adam Spencer at
<a href="mailto:aspencer@triplicate.com.">aspencer@triplicate.com.</a></i></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0