It seems you can't walk 40' withoput tripping over a facility owned bu one of two hospotals that are ubiquitous here in the Lehigh Valley. From actual hospitals to smaller centers, they're pretty much everywhere. Well, that's not enough. Last week, Northampton County Council approved the $1.2 million purchase of two mobile health vans for both Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) and St. Luke's Hospital. The money comes from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act, which has done its part in driving up inflation. Will these vans actually improve the quality of health care? Robert Begliomini, President of Lehigh Valley Health Network, made a successful sales pitch at Council's June 16 meeting.
According to Begliomini, LVHN already has considerable experience in mobile health,
He cited the Miles of Smiles dentistry van in operation since 2009. I've never seen one in my miles of smiles and frowns throughout the Lehigh Valley. He said it has already provided $3.2 million in charitable care.
Begliomini added that LVHN has one of only 20 mobile stroke units operating in this country. This unit can actually do a CAT scan of a patient in his own driveway.
He said that LVHN even can do mobile mammograms, and does so at 28 locations within Northampton County alone.
Finally, LVHN has operated mobile vaccination clinics for COVID.
Council President Lori Vargo Heffner wondered about residents who may be under insured. "We deal with things like this every day," said Begliomini.
Council member Ron Heckman called it a "worthwhile cause," but said his experience is that hospitals are not as pleasant as Begliomini in collecting medical bills. "This has already been paid for by the taxpayers," he observed and he hoped this could be considered in billing.
Begliomini said he'd work with the county to determine where the need might be greatest for location.
Council member Tara Zrinski said she would hope that the hospitals purchase electric vehicles.
Begliomini also stated these vans would close gaps in health disparities throughout the Lehigh Valley.
Council member JohnGoffredo expressed some reservations. noting that $1.2 million in federal funds could be spent on a myriad of things to help taxpayers, "Everything we do is for the betterment of the community," answered Begliomini. "This will go a long way to help both of us to provide the care that's necessary in the community."
Council approved this expenditure 7-0. Council President Lori Vargo Heffner, who works for St. Luke's, abstained. Council member John Brown was absent.
When the Hell will this fed money run out. McClure will run out of asper to print up all the checks he hands out. The guy is like a kid in a candy store. It will be interesting to see how much money comes back to his campaign coffers.
ReplyDeleteMore frivolous use of government pork. An electric motor home? Is Zrinski nuts? The battery pack would weigh 3 tons.
ReplyDeleteGreat news. Those suffering through food insecurity amid 18% inflation and $5 gas can eat those vans! $1.2 million would have bought a lot of meals. But hey, LVHN and St Luke's are practically on the balls of their asses financially. They need tax money more than hungry people. Nice work County Councilpeople.
ReplyDeleteI’ve done my fair share of complaining about how the money in the American Rescue Plan gets allocated, but there’s one aspect of it that I believe you can’t spend enough on and that’s healthcare. We need to streamline access to quality healthcare and I believe this task starts at the grassroots level with these vans. American families are working longer hours for wages that are not moving concurrently with healthcare costs, and at times sacrificing their own health, just to meet ends meet. Having access to routine check-ups will greatly impact these families.
ReplyDeleteBut Lori Vargo-Heffer won't spend $50,000 for clean air
ReplyDeleteTara's commitment to mother Gaea is unwavering a true stalwart cut from the same cloth as John Muir and Jane Goodall defender of the voiceless plants and animals riding 10 miles rain or shine to do shopping with NPR totes eschewing most single use plastics a bastion of. Stewardship destined for higher office IMO would make a great addition to the squad.
ReplyDeleteBlue Badgee
"But Lori Vargo-Heffer won't spend $50,000 for clean air."
ReplyDeleteWhat she won't do is allow herself to be bullied by Lamont McClure, who tried to do that at the last Council meeting. She made very clear that she supported the proposal for air sampling, but wanted the same explanation for project management that she would get for any other project. She had asked for this the day before and what she got was inadequate. McClure then attempted to bully her in the middle of a meeting, which only made him look bad.
County Council, and not the Exec, holds the purse strings.
"Tara's commitment to mother Gaea is unwavering "
ReplyDeleteI love electric vehicles. They are our future. But we are not there yet. It is certainly true that they produce less tailpipe carbon emissions than other cars, but are still powered by electricity coming from facilities that do. Moreover, a considerable amount of fossil energy is consumed in producing the battery. Depending on the size of the battery, it would take anywhere from 100,000 to 400,000 miles before an electric vehicle actually produces less emissions than a typical car.
At this moment, the best car is the hybrid, although even these do not use the electric components as much as they should.
I love them. We just are not there yet.
electric?, Hell at 1.2 million the better be able to fly!
ReplyDeleteDo we really need to give handouts to the hospitals? Has anyone looked at their financial statements lately? They're loaded with cash. They already get tax breaks and should be funding these types of purchases and programs out of their own money.
ReplyDeleteIf McClure and Council would have been smart, they would have found a way to use that money for existing county programs, and banked the general fund revenue they would have otherwise spent.
Why do that you ask?
I don't know if any of them have noticed what's going on in the stock market, but it's not pretty. The down market will soon translate into increased retirement plan contributions, which will cost the taxpayers dearly.
Remember, salaries and employee benefits are the biggest drivers of the cost of county government. This blog has already chronicled the need for increased wages to attract and retain employees, and a plunging market will increase the retirement costs even further beyond what the retirement plan effect of those increased wages is.
So while your county government is buying favor with the donor class, county taxpayers should get ready to be paying more in the near future to make up for it.
To sum things up, it's the trickle-down effect of failed policies by democrat politicians at the national level (causing inflation, a down stock market, and a likely recession), compounded by the bad decisions of democrat politicians at the county level.
You get what you vote for.
Thank you, 4:02 PM, for explaining “There is NO free lunch, and “There is NO such thing as government funding.” One way, or another, WE pay for everything with dollars taken from us.
ReplyDeleteI’d like to add, our young people will be saddled with this massive debt for many years to come. Our nation is being squandered away by politicians. No one currently in office deserves your vote. We are living under a failed government. Why endorse any part of this with your vote? It’s that simple.
We need to make sure everyone is paying there fair share of taxes, and start taxing churches and hospitals unless everyone gets socialize medicine.
ReplyDeletePlease explain to me as to why these GINORMOUS hospital institutions do not purchase these vehicles with their own money? Why is the county involved?
ReplyDeleteBecause if capitalism. Why would an entity like St. Luke’s or LVHN ever invest in anything that serves their immediate community unless they’re making money off of it.
DeleteNon-for-profit my ass.
If you believe otherwise, welcome to socialized healthcare, and that’s why we should be fighting for it.
AGREED. Thanks for the response.
Delete