At last Thursday's Council meeting, council members Lamont McClure and Ann McHale threw around figures to establish that Gracedale has historically made money for the County. Their pronouncements prompted thunderous applause and standing ovations from the nursing home staffers who packed the meeting. But as it happens, those figures are bogus.
On Monday, Northampton County Exec John Stoffa released figures showing that, over the last 22 years, Gracedale has cost the County $3,826,497. Those figures have been confirmed by Fiscal Affairs.
29 comments:
Well Bernie there goes the truce.
So if Gracedale is a county non profit home paid for by the taxpayers to be used by the tax paying public that chooses to use it, does $3.8 million refer to the money it's take to run it for the last 22 years? What is the tax money collected to make it run referred to as, a profit or a loss?
3.8 million...that is slightly less than the amount Ron Angle will save by closing Gracedale in order to prevent a tax increase. Coincidence?? I think not.
The term, "lost," is patently absurd. The recently spotlighted inefficiencies have resulted in lots more "lost."
Do the math. $3,826,497 divided by 22 years = $173,932 a year. Divide that yearly number by the 650 residents and that ='s $267.59 a year per person or .73 cents a day.
Who's mother, father, aunt or uncle is not worth 73 cents a day?
The problem is that the losses are going to increase exponentially. Census is dropping because of the increase in the number of provate homes and as the tendency among most people is to spend their last days at home or in hospice.
The County has no statutory obligation to provide care for the elderly. It certainly has a moral obligation, but so long as private facilities can meet that moral obligation, it is foolish for the County to remain in the nursing home business.
If all the money that Gracedale made over the years were put back into the home, it would not be considered a loss but most likely a break even. It would be nice to know how often Gracedale revenues were raided over the "good" years to pay other County expenses. It would also be interesting to see how many other County expenses NOT tied to Gracedale's mission were taken out of Gracedale's budget!! Yes, this does happen and is a common smoke and mirrors tactic in governmental budgeting.
My parents are rotten pricks who didn't prepare for old age and aren't worth seven cents per day. If it were legal to do that Aleut Eskimo ice floe thing, they'd be out of my way already. And that's consistent with all forward thinkers from Kevorkian to many on the current president's team. I'll gladly warehouse them on your dime, though. Just filling out the paperwork to unload them should cover my fourth commandment base. Don't assume everyone who doesn't give a shit about the elderly doesn't have a good reason. And don't judge me. You'd dislike them too. Save Gracedale.
I really like how the report suggests reviewing a case before granting release and extending physical therapy at the discretion of the operator as a way to increase revenue. Sounds like a very questionable practice to me. So what Complete Healthcare is recommending is a person in their care could be held despite a third party doctor providing the required information to release a patient or request by the family to transfer the patient. Sounds very questionable to me.
What does Northampton County charge per patient and what will Complete Healthcare charge after takeover is what I like to know?
That's a distortion of the report, which is available online at the county web page. At no time does the report suggest that the wishes of a patient's physician be ignored, or that the resident's wishes be dismissed. That's ridiculous.
Not one week goes by that Stoffa does notr receive a call from a party interested in buying Gracedale. Complete HealthCare did the study, and its principal is a nursing home operator. But who do you you hire to do this kind of evaluation, a plumber? CompleteHealth Care will have no unfair advantage when Gracedale is sold or leased. It will go to whoever gives the County the best deal while committing to the same or better care.
Bottom line is you are a "commodity" in a private nursing home. Same as in a job. Right now those old commodities can net some cash but when they don't the company will go back to Mental Health and Mental Retardation homes.
Gracedale is a solemn oath from generation to generation promising hardworking taxpayers a final residence where they will be treated with dignity and respect. They will be people not profitable commodities.
The fact that Angle/Stoffa and O'Hare don't get that is sad. Of course in fairness people have heard Angle/Stoffa say they think the Home should be dumped for years. Many feel Stoffa and his hacks pay are loss's to the County.
They now have the teabaggers on Council to get it done.
The year 2009 was used. Why, because that year had a massive public works expense and the lowest census ever. Of course the cost per patient was high. Many believe and it could be well argued that that is exactly what the Administration wanted.
Fact is the "rates" which not one member of County Council understood, have always gone up and down. The Fed, will not allow it to crash, they never have and never will. Over time they vary up and down. Ask people who understand the issue. The study was timed to be bad. The study had a mission give Angle/Stoffa what they wanted and it did.
Fix the management issues, catch residents from the hospitals, increase service rates and Gracedale will be humming right along.
It will be what it was always meant to be, a caring loving final home for the sick and elderly County residents. Where You are still a human being and not a notation on a profit and loss sheet.
The Angle/Stoffa game played is obvious. You can smell the books cooking from a mile away. It is sad that Bernie O'Hare will sing whatever song they want him to sing, even if it is as damaging and untruthful as this song.
Anon 9:09,
John Stoffa devoted his career to Human Services. He's helped many people, as has his wife. He genuinely cares about his fellow man, and would not propose this unless there were no other choice.
save the home by getting rid of the management. it starts there thats were the problem is.
How do you interpret the language under section 3 Clinical Reimbursement where they have identified numerous area for financial improvement?
“increase average length of stay (ALOS) by up to six days; potential increase in revenues of $1,003,00 and net earnings of $328,000”
“Prior to discharging a resident from part A therapy services, the RNAC and therapy manager should review the clinical status of the resident”
So Gracedale will go from a not for profit to a for profit institution. At what expense....patient care or higher fees on patients and families?
I interpret it exactly as it is written, as a way for Gracedakle to enhance its revenue stream. This nowhere suggests holding anyone against doctor's orders or resident's wishes. It goes on to note that many of the residents receiving OT do not do well after being released early and suggested those extra days might help them. So it actually also increases the quality of care. It also makes clear that these extra days must be "agreeable" to the residenyt. It also suggests evaluating the home to which a resident is released to see if there are obstacles that will interfere with PT.
Now all of this enhances revenue, to be sure. But it also increases the quality of care beyond wehat residents currently receive.
AGAIN.......I ask the question yet again........How much would Ronald Angle save if there is not a tax increase for the next two years???????????????
That is the only question that matters, and Bernie seems to not want to give the public an answer.
When all else fails, attack Angle with your typically ignorant remarks.
John Stoffa and his wife, really, O'Hare, you want to go there. So Bernie, how many taxpayer funded pensions and healthcare plans do they have between them?
Stop with the Stoffa's care moan. He makes sure he fills his mouth at the public tit but he has never been and is not now a person devoted to helping people. The master bullshiter in the a jpob where bullshitting is rewarded.
Not all that long ago, a Nazareth police officer saved the life of a child who had been abducted by his father in a custody dispute. He threw himself across the boy as police officers and this father exchanged fire. A state trooper and the father were killed, but the boy was unmarked.
This very same police officer stopped me one day, when I saw the Stoffa signs in my Jeep, to tell me how much both Stoffa and his wife had helped him when he was a troubled teen.
This is just one of many similar stories I heard, during the campaign, from people who Stoffa and his wife helped.
Now I already liked Stoffa, but the testimony of all these people was something I'll always remember. He'sperhaps the most decent and honorable man in local government.
It's sad to see his name besmirched by some anonymous troll too cowardly to identify himself.
John Stoffa is a master bullshiter who in politics has found his place.
In five years he has taken the largest surplus in history and brought the County to the point of selling Gracedale. Yeah, he is one Hell of a guy.
Sorry, but somehow your alleged stories are somewhat hard to take given your predisposition to all things Stoffa. Talk to some of the Northampton and Lehigh County folks who will tell you he is the most self-centered and mean spirited guy they ever worked for. I know those stories are lies. Gotcha!
"CompleteHealth Care will have no unfair advantage when Gracedale is sold or leased"
wouldnt they be precluded from bidding at all?
What is the profit/loss ratio for the Norco Court system/judges?
"When all else fails, attack Angle with your typically ignorant remarks."
Instead of answering a legitimate question which you know will expose Angle, you decide to avoid the question and name it an ignorant remark?
How was it ignorant? I feel it is a valid question. Is it not a fact that Angle will be one of, if not the one that will benefit most by not having an increase?
Anon 9:12 you are missing the point. The court system is a required county/state function a nursing home is not. Bye-bye Gracedale!!
You can sum up all the alleged facts and figures of the Angle/Stoffa "big con" with one word.
BULLSHIT
ok lets all admit it that the home is going to be sold lets move on folks another chapter of the county
Yes, lets move on to a re-call of John Stoffa by citizens of the County. Petitions are being collected and soon there will be enough for a vote.
Amen
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