Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, October 2,2013
- FIVE
HEALTH DISTRICT UPDATE
-Continuedfrom PAGE ONE
to apply for the PCPCH
certificatio n in the next
few months; however, the
district cannot get in on the
Moda plan until next year.
Also at the meeting, the
board heard the district’s
annual audit presentation
from th e ir ac co u n ta n ts,
W 1P F L 1 C PA s a n d
C onsultants, represented
by Jeff Johnson, certified
p u b lic a c c o u n ta n t and
partner, and Jared Haak,
CPA and manager. WIPFL1
“unqualified opinion” on
the d i s t r ic t ’s fin a n c ia l
statements is good news.
W1PFL1 is lo c a te d in
Spokane.
They did note, however,
that “due to the size o f
the district and its staff,
individuals with access to
cash receipts also have the
ability to post adjustments
and cash receipts to the
a c c o u n tin g system and
create new patients. There
a re s o m e m i t i g a t i n g
controls currently in place,
but a d d itio n a l c o n tro ls
should be put in place.” The
accounting firm said that
the issue was addressed and
additional controls have
already been put in place to
rectify the situation.
T h e W 1PFL1 a u d it
presented good news for
the district, reporting that
the d i s t r ic t ’s c a sh has
in creased over the past
year. “The District had a
profitable year that included
the receip t o f M edicare
and M edicaid Electronic
Health Records incentive
paym ents and grants for
the Irrigon Medical Clinic
remodel.” They also noted
th a t p a tie n t a c c o u n ts
receivable increased in 2013
due to an increase patient
numbers and a five-percent
charge increase across all
departments. In addition,
the district received the
2 0 1 2 r e c e iv a b l e s fo r
M e d ic a id w ra p a ro u n d
p a y m e n ts , w h ich w ere
approxim ately $105,000
an d th e M e d ic a re c o st
report settlem ent, which
was around $213,000.
The district showed an
$895,000 profit for 2013,
"partly due to Medicare and
Medicaid Electronic Health
Record incentive payments,
the removal o f third-party
contingency amounts and
an increase in property tax
revenue,” com pared to a
$465,000 profit for 2012,
and a $179,000 profit for
2011 .
“Pioneer Memorial has
been doing a really good job
over the last several years,”
commented Johnson.
The district was also
commended for the number
o f days o f cash on hand.
In 2013, M CHD had 110
days of cash on hand, which
indicates the num ber o f
d ays the d is tric t co u ld
operate without collecting
additional cash. The district
had 76 days o f cash on hand
in 2012 and 59 in 2011.
This number is crucial fiqr
operations in the event of an
economic downturn.
W1PFL1 also provided
an u p d a te c o n c e r n in g
Medicare reimbursements.
B e c a u s e M C H D is a
C ritical A ccess H ospital
it r e c e iv e s a g r e a t e r
reimbursement ratio. One
f a c to r in d e te r m in in g
w h a t h o s p ita ls re c e iv e
C ritical A ccess H ospital
designation is the distance
from the next h o sp ita l,
which places MCHD in a
better position than many
other hospitals, especially
in the event o f possible
upcoming changes in CAH
distance regulations.
According to WIPFLI, a
few key proposed Medicare
ch an g es for 2014 from
President Obama include:
- “ c a n c e l l i n g th e
B u d g et C o n tro l A ct o f
2011 ’s s e q u e s t r a t io n ,
which required mandatory
across-the-board reduction
in f e d e r a l s p e n d in g .
A s r e q u i r e d by la w ,
P resident O bam a issued
a sequestration order on
March 1, 2013, which took
effect on A pril 1, 2013.
The c a n ce lla tio n o f the
sequestration will eliminate
the annual two percent cut
to Medicare payments.
- “ re d u c in g C A H
payments from 101 percent
to 100 percent of reasonable
c o sts. T h is d e c re a se in
payment is estimated to be
a loss o f reimbursement to
CAHs o f $1.43 billion.
-“eliminating the CAH
designation for hospitals
located fewer than ten miles
from the nearest hospital.
This change is estim ated
to eliminate $690 million
reimbursement to affected
C A H s. (W IP F L I re p s
anticipate that the mileage
amount between CAHs will
be increased, perhaps even
substantially.)
-“ reduction
in
traditional M edicare bad
debt reimbursement to 25
percent of amounts claimed.
This decrease in payments is
estimated to eliminate $36
billion in reimbursement to
all hospitals.”
According to WIPFLI,
th e re are c u rre n tly 13
d e s ig n a t e d n e c e s s a r y
providers under the CAH
program in O regon and
two additional CAHs that
would not meet the distance
requirement.
W I P F L I
4 s
r e im b u rs e m e n t u p d a te
n o te d th a t the O reg o n
Health Authority’s budget
for 2 013-2015 includes
f e d e r a l fu n d in g fo r
coverage o f approximately
180,000 new low-income
adults who will qualify for
the O regon H ealth Plan
under the new guidelines
for Medicaid.
“The 2013-15 budget
ends the so-called “health
care lo tte ry ” for ad u lts
who are qualified for care
even under current income
limits. Beginning in 2014
though 2016, coverage for
those new ly eligible for
OHP will be funded by the
federal government.
“ In co m e lim its are
changing and OHP will be
open to adults who earn
up to 138 percent o f the
Federal Poverty Level. That
is about $15,800 a year for
a single person or $32,500
a year for a family o f four.
“ New M edicaid
e n ro lle e s wi ll jo in
lo c a l c o o rd in a te d care
organizations, which are
designed to provide better
care w hile holding costs
down.”
Some of the key health
care reforms for employers
include: “ g ran d fath ered
h ealth p lan s, ex te n sio n
o f dependent coverage, a
summary o f benefits and
coverage, flexible spending
account cap changes, W-2
rep o rtin g , m edical loss
ratio rebates and notice to
employees of state health
insurance exchanges.”
The W IPFLI re p o rt
said that for individuals
and families with individual
m a rk e t c o v e ra g e w ho
move to the marketplaces,
prem ium s u b sid ie s are
expected to average $2,672 a
year. They said that a Kaiser
Family Foundation report
noted that 48 percent o f
people purchasing their own
insurance will qualify for
federal premium tax credits
to reduce their premiums
for plans purchased in the
m a rk e tp la c e s, fo rm erly
known as exchanges. The
second lowest cost “silver
plan premium,” on which
the subsidies are based,
w ill cost an av erage o f
$8,250 per year in 2014. It
is also estimated that these
premiums will be reduced
by an average o f $5,548 or
66 percent per family by the
federal premium subsidies.
W IPFLI advised that
h e a lth c a re p r o v id e r s
“monitor these plans, since
the cost-sharing deductible
and copay amounts could
lead to greater amounts o f
bad debt and charity for
health care providers in the
future.”
In other business the
board:
-learned that the district
is se a rc h in g for a new
board m em ber following
the resignation o f board
m em ber David Burns o f
Irrigon. Despite ads in the
East Oregonian, the North
M orrow tim es and the
H eppner G azette-T im es,
the district has received
only one letter o f interest
and that individual resides
in south Morrow County.
“I think w e’ve all agreed to
do our best to find someone
in Boardman or Irrigon,”
said Board C h a ir Larry
Mills. The district plans to
continue the search.
- l e a r n e d t h a t the
d istrict’s new am bulance
has arrived and is in the
process o f being licensed.
After licensure, it will be
delivered to Irrigon to be
put into service. Irrigon’s
old a m b u la n c e w ill go
to H ep p n e r to be used
as H e p p n e r’s secondary
a m b u la n c e . H e p p n e r ’s
current secondary
ambulance will go to lone
to be used as their primary
ambulance.
-heard from Grigg that
a Critical Access Hospital
annual m eeting was held
in H e p p n e r to re c e iv e
feedback to “ensure that
we are meeting the needs
o f the c o m m u n itie s we
serve.” Grigg said that two
community representatives
a tte n d e d and p ro v id e d
positive feedback.
-learned that the fall
board retreat is confirmed
fo r T h u rsd a y , O ct. 17,
fro m 2 -9 p . m. at Al l
Saints’ Episcopal Church
in Heppner. Providers are
invited to attend.
-received the following
p rofit/loss statem ent for
A u g u s t : g ro s s p a tie n t
revenue was $588,624, less
$2,757 for bad debts and
$103,008 for contractual
and other adjustments, plus
$ 106,839 in tax revenue and
$16,237 in other operating
revenue for $611,451 in
total o p erating revenue;
$653,819 in total operating
expenses and a $7,160 non
operating gain for a loss of
$35,207 for the month.
-received the following
report for August: Pioneer
Memorial Hospital had two
admissions, two swing bed
admissions, eight admitted
for observation, one death,
one admitted for hospital
respite care, 466 total out
patients, 76 emergency room
encounters, 1,770 lab tests,
99 x-ray procedures, 22 CT
scans, 17 EKG tests, two
colonoscopy procedures,
two endoscopy procedures,
one c o lo n / e n d o s co p y
procedure, 34 respiratory
therapy procedures; Home
Health had 58 patient visits;
H ospice had one death;
Pharmacy had 2,034 drug
doses for $59,785 in drug
revenue; Pioneer Memorial
Clinic had 392 patient visits
with 16 new patients, 41
seen by a nurse and seven
no-shows; Irrigon Medical
Clinic had 181 patient visits,
19 new patients, 49 seen by
a nurse and 10 no-shows;
H eppner A m bulance had
14 to ta l p a g e -o u ts and
tra n s p o rts fo r $ 1 8 ,8 9 9
in re v e n u e ; B o a rd m a n
Am bulance had 23 page
outs with 16 transports for
$21,893 in revenue; Irrigon
Am bulance had 24 page
outs with 13 transports for
$16,709 in revenue; there
were three flights.
Junior cheerleading camp held
As You Plan For Your
Next Growing Season, Keep Us
In Mind For Your Financing Needs
Agricultural and Com m ercial Real Estate. Finance or
refinance property, make improvements to land, buildings,
and facilities.
Operating Lines. When it’s time for that seed, livestock or
new or used equipment purchase, we offer customized and
affordable lines of credit.
Ag Banking. Our Loan Officers work closely with our branch
staff to ensure your operating accounts, savings accounts
and online services are set-up conveniently for you.
Competitive Rates, Flexible Payments, Friendly Service
Participants in the recent junior cheer camp were: (Back L-R) Cheerleader Faith Jones,
Cheerleader Macy Gibbs, Kylie Boor, Cheerleader Emily Cecil, Zandra Masterson, Hailey
Wenberg, Brook Wilson, Katie Wilson, Bridget Wizner, Cheerleader Erica Nelson, (front L-R)
Cheerleader Samm Lemmon, Keeley Nairns, Paige Bebee, Avery Lathrop, K.C. and Harley
Anderson, Saige Jensen and Irelynn Rollman. -Contributedphoto
T he H e p p n e r Hi g h
School c h e erle a d e rs
conducted a ju n io r cheer
clinic for girls ages four
years to fourth grade. The
girls practiced the w eek
o f Sept. 23-27 to prepare
for their perform ance at
halftime during the Heppner
versus Enterprise football
game.
The girls danced to the
music o f twist and shout
and reportedly “ w ow ed”
the crowd.
They also p a rtn ered
w i t h t he h i g h s c h o o l
ch eerlead ers to perform
two cheers, “Red Hot” and
“Rowdy.”
Heppner FBLA fundraiser is
back
T he H e p p n e r Hi gh show th e ir sup p o rt in a
School Future B usiness number o f ways.
Leaders of America (FBLA)
The FBLA m em bers
once again is supporting will be selling breast cancer
breast cancer awareness.
a w a re n e s s ite m s at the
Since October is breast home volleyball game this
cancer awareness month, Thursday and at the home
the FBLA m em bers are football game Oct. 11.
asking the com m unity to
On Oct. 10, the HHS
Community
BANK
Local Money Working For Local People
5 4 1 -2 8 9 -4 4 8 0
www communitybanknet com
LENDER
Lacey Cleland
Commercial Loan Officer
M e m b e r FDIC
lcleland@communitybanknet com
The girls who attended
the cli nic w ere: A very
L a t h r o p , Pa i g e B e b e ,
K ylie DeBoer. Bridgette
Wi z n e r , S ag e J e n s e n ,
Harley and K.C. Anderson.
K a t i e Wi l s o n , Ke e l e y
N airn s, Brooke W ilson,
Zandra Masterson, Hailey
Wenberg. Ireland Kollman.
FBLA is asking everyone to
wear pink community-wide
in support o f this cause.
FBLA members will be out
and about on the streets of
Heppner all o f next week
selling those items to those
w ho w ill not be able to
make it to the games.
OWGL fall workshops
announced
Oregon Wheat Growers in conjunction with Morrow Fairgrounds in Heppner.
League County President County Grain Growers on
V isit w w w .o w g l.o rg
Brent Martin will host the W ednesday, Nov. 6, at 4 for workshop speakers and
county’s annual workshop p.m. at the Morrow County RSVP information.