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Hospital Sale, Lease Bill Dies; Was Backed By Company Interested In Jay Hospital
May 10, 2011
A bill that would create new barriers to selling or leasing public hospitals in Florida has died. Supporters of the bill included Health Management Associates (HMA) – the company interested in a partnership deal involving Jay Hospital.
After getting stuck in the Senate, a controversial bill that would have required judges to sign off on sales or leases of public hospitals died at the end of the legislative session. House members overwhelmingly approved HB 619, but it did not get out of Senate committees.
Public hospitals and the Florida Hospital Association fought the proposal, which was backed by for-profit hospital companies such as HMA and Tenet Healthcare Corp.
Questions about the future of public hospitals, however, are not done: Gov. Rick Scott in March issued an executive order creating a commission to review taxpayer-funded hospital districts, including sales or leases.
The bill stemmed, at least in part, from disputes such as a failed merger between the publicly owned Bert Fish Medical Center in Volusia County and the private Adventist Health System. That deal died after it was disclosed the Bert Fish board had repeatedly violated the state’s Sunshine Law by holding closed-door discussions.
HMA also sought an agreement with Bert Fish. The bill included criteria for circuit judges to use in deciding whether to approve public-hospital deals, such as whether the terms reflect “fair market value.’’ Supporters said the proposal would help prevent backroom deals.
Comments
2 Responses to “Hospital Sale, Lease Bill Dies; Was Backed By Company Interested In Jay Hospital”
I am the caregiver for my 90 year old Mother who has been diagnosed with memory problems, asthma, aortic stenosis (causes her to pass out and lose consciousness), coronary artery disease and diabetes.
On Aug. 9th, she had an appointment at Jay Medical Center and we found out all their medical records were hauled off during the recent raid. If she has a medical emergency her medical history and records are not available. She does not take any narcotics and with the HIPPA LAWS (patient privacy records) we would like to know where the records are located.
If the Jay Medical Center is being investigated why should individual patients not have access to their medical history? We DO NOT live in Hitler’s Germany but in the USA!
If my Mother has another blackout the EMS Ambulance or Emergency Room Staff will not have her medical history available. Guess there are hundreds
of patient files at the U. S. Attorney’s Office or somewhere in Pensacola. We
have done nothing wrong so why are all patient files being checked out for the investigation?
Just more government in a place it doesn’t need to be! The fact that the merger died it (after the disclosure of wrong doing by Bert Fish) proof that WE DON”T NEED BIGGER GOVERNMENT!! KEEP GOVERNMENT OUT OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR OF BUSINESS!!!!!