A 3 percent average price hike is expected to offset sagging volume in Bartlett’s 2013 operating budget. Even with decreases in operating expenses, the hospital expects its budget to just break even.
At the Bartlett Regional Hospital board of directors meeting Tuesday, Dennis Stillman, interim chief financial officer for Bartlett said the cuts will not be spread evenly.
“Some places we might even see lower prices,” Stillman said. The 3 percent bump is the lowest increase since at least 2000, he said.
Patient volumes are expected to remain the same as in 2012, Stillman said, about same as 2009 and 2010. There was a spike in 2011, he said and the hospital staffed up to accommodate, but volume didn’t materialize.
Bartlett budgeted nearly 11 percent to cover bad debt and community funded care. Bartlett expects to lose more than $100,000 from a drop in the City and Borough of Juneau liquor and tobacco tax.
Stillman said the total number of patient days have stayed the same at the hospital, and while admissions decline, length of stay is up.
Emergency room visits average about 1,200 a month and surgeries and “remain virtually constant,” Stillman said.
Bartlett created a 2012 budget expecting $101 million in income. It now expects $93 million this year, Stillman said. This gap is due to volume in health care, he said.
“We budgeted to have about 14 percent more than were we expected,” Stillman said. “You continue to spend when you don’t have excess revenue coming in. You can’t do that forever.” There is no money for new programs. “There is no money to replace things,” Stillman said. “You are replacing the equipment, you aren’t adding services for the community.”
Linda Thomas said Bartlett has cash reserves to operate at a loss for a period of time. She said only 212 patients less can drive down income by $8 million. Thomas said the board was took careful consideration of the budget’s impacts on staff.
“We are looking forward to the future, but we are not making significant changes,” Thomas said. “Looking long term and not being reactive in the short term.”
Stillman recommended a kind of triage with the hospital’s systems which are in most need of repair or replacement.
Volume in 2013 is expected to run the same at 2012.
“We’re staffed up for much more than that,” Stillman said.
The operating budget passed without objection. It now moves to the CBJ Assembly.
• Contact reporter Russell Stigall at 523-2276 or at russell.stigall@juneauempire.com.
Comments (11)
Add commentLets see, 8 million of
Lets see, 8 million of revenue from only 212 patients is $37,735.84 in billing per patient. 3 percent of that bill is $1,132.08 in increased costs per patient due to this price increase. More that enough to cover the cost of a trip to Seattle where the costs are at least 20 percent less.
and....
If you go to Seattle or elsewhere for a procedure, insurance is most likely to pay the entire bill because fees aren't over the usual and customary mark like most fees in Juneau at a Drs office are!
bad debts abd community funded care
gee that a sure indicator that there is no need to have a national health care system. All we need to do is increase rates by 3% this year for those who pay their bills or have insurance so the cost of providing for those who do not or can not pay is taken care of.
Yep. I went to Portland to
Yep. I went to Portland to have my last baby. There the doctor was billed through the hospital therefore my insurance covered more. I was treated better. And the money that would have gone to the hospital and Juneau docs went to a family vacation. There they also allowed a vbac. I will always leave Juneau for any major needs. I am done with being overcharged for everything.
Local First ??
I'm all about Look Local First, until I get raked across the coals. When it's my health or my families, I'm outta here! Better health care and insurance pays for all of it!
Must be nice
Must be nice to be in an industry where when business slows, you just bump up prices. No cuts, salary freezes, the usual stuff private industry has to deal with.
Not OK Bartlett
prices for healthcare are bad enough. a hike right now is a very bad for the people of Juneau. Oh yea...that's right...it's our only hospital so if it's an emergency how we going to 'shop around?'
What part of volume is down because you overcharge for services don't you get Bartlett board?
Oh, you ain't seen nothin yet
Oh, you ain't seen nothin yet if BOCare kicks in. Wait until seniors can't get any Medicare Advantage and doctors' reimbursement fees for Medicare and Medicaid are cut.
Let's say it together - "rationing". And "can I get an Amen"!!!!!
"President Obama has been making a big deal of late over his supposed help for young people on their student loans. Today at University of North Carolina, for example, he said:
You’ll hear a lot of folks say education is important. But it requires not just words but deeds. And the fact is that since most of you were born, tuition and fees in America’s colleges have more than doubled. And that forces students like you to take out a lot more loans, there are fewer grants. You rack up more debts. Can I get an amen?
Predictably, the students gave him a rousing “Amen.”"
......ICK.....
Cal, you are right on the
Cal, you are right on the situation...people forget BRH provides care to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay. BRH is run better than the CBJ, as they continue to rob savings to make the budget..and have you checked your property tax statement....I hope the majority of the Assembly is listening to Randy Wanamaker on holding the line and finding cuts rather than taxing us more. PS, if Obama care comes to pass, we will see "Change" like you cannot imagine..."Hope" the public sees through BO and his czars that are just out there buying votes left and right.
Calypso....so.....
are you for the Ryan plan?
sagging volume.....
as stated in the above comments, has more to do with quality of care here than anything else. My first breast cancer scare (mom had it twice, so I am hyper-vigilent) my local Dr. office had a surrogate call me, since my doctor was on vacation, then they scheduled me with a surgeon, who wanted to do a lumpectomy, then I freaked out and flew down to Swedish Breast Care Clinic, who were utterly fantastic, a bit shocked that I hadn't had a film at 35 or 38 since I had direct family history, Swedish finally actually showed me my films, which showed tiny punctate calcifications they would have told me to watch for 6 months. I've since called Bartlett and asked if they would take mammogram films and send them to Swedish (they won't, until they charge you for also reading them, even if you don't want Bartlett to do that) and if they had someone qualified who could do a needle biopsy (they have a tech, who does 'about 6 a year') etc.
I go to Swedish for ALL of my breast exams, and will roll in my annual gynocological exam and bloodwork this year as well.
Local Dr. also wants me to come in for an extra office visit (at $180 a pop) to get malaria pills for a trip I take every year, with no ill effects or complications in the last 12 years.
It's no wonder people go outside for care.