Pursuant to its responsibilities under 18 V.S.A. §9406, the Department of Banking, Insurance, Securities and Health Care Administration (BISHCA) will hold its fiscal year 2012 hospital budget hearing on Thursday, August 4, 2011 from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The hearing will be held via Vermont Interactive Television (VIT). VIT sites open to this event are located in Bennington, Brattleboro, Lyndonville, Middlebury, Montpelier, Newport, Rutland, Springfield, St. Albans, WRJ, and Williston. Directions to these sites can be downloaded from their website at http://www.vitlink.org.
Agenda
1:30 p.m. – 1:40 p.m
Commissioner Steve Kimbell
1:40 p.m. – 2:40 p.m.
FY 2012 Hospital Budgets Presentation Deputy Commissioner Michael Davis
Bennington - Senior Citizen's Service Center, 124 Pleasant Street
Brattleboro - Brattleboro Union High School, 131 Fairground Rd, Room 125
Lyndonville - 1001 College Road, Lyndon State College
Montpelier - Vermont Department of Labor, 5 Green Mountain Drive (presenters will be at this site)
Middlebury - 51 Charles Ave, Hannaford Career Center, 2nd Floor
Newport - North Country Union High School, 209 Veterans Ave.
Rutland - 8 Stratton Road, Stafford Technical Center, Room 108
Springfield - 307 South Street, Howard Dean Education Center, 2nd Floor
St. Albans - Bellows Free Academy-St. Albans, 4 Hospital Drive
WRJ - Community College of Vermont, 145 Billings Farm Road
Williston - Blair Park, 451 Lawrence Place
Budget materials will be made available on our website at www.bishca.state.vt.us through the month of July.
Public comment can also be made directly on our website or mailed to Janeen Morrison, BISHCA, 89 Main Street, Montpelier, VT 05620-3101. Written public comment will be accepted until August 19, 2011. Telephone: (802) 828-2900.
Banking, Insurance, Securties and Health Care Administration (BISHCA) is required to review the hospital budgets on an annual basis as described under Vermont State Statutes, Title 18, Chapter 221. BISHCA has prepared this web page to present budget information that has been submitted by the fourteen non-profit community hospitals. We will update this information on a weekly basis through the summer. On August 4, 2011, BISHCA will hold a public hearing that will present additional information and allow for public comment. In addition, public comment may also be provided by selecting the button on the top right side of this page.
Comments Received Regarding the FY2012 Hospital Budget Reviews
Disclaimer: This is a place for the public to express their views and opinions. The comments and opinions expressed below are that of the person listed as commenting, and do not constitute or imply endorsement by the Department of Banking, Insurance, Securities and Health Care Administration (BISHCA).
I was unable to attend the public hearing on August 4th as that was the day of my daughter’s wedding. I do have one item of concern to me regarding hospital budgets and that is employee compensation. It is evident that our non-profit hospitals do make a healthy profit, as evidenced by what most people consider excessively high salaries, especially to the executives. A hospital budget should be sensitive to good stewardship of government tax breaks for at least two main reasons. First, it is Vermont taxpayers that subsidize Vermont hospitals and Vermonters are struggling with their own finances. To have hard working people pay into non profits that pay executives exorbitant salaries hurts trust in the government along with the financial burden. Second, there are other businesses, such as my own, that compete with the same services that the hospitals provide in the way of physical rehabilitation. We both provide services to all, including free services to the poor and give plenty to the community. I want to be able to reimburse my staff equal to that of any business, but providing/allowing significant financial advantages to the hospitals puts all its “for profit” businesses at a disadvantage. I also want to make mention that FAHC has gone beyond having a financial advantage, leadership at FAHC has also been active in restricting their physicians from referring patients outside of its own business in an effort to boost profits. Physicians have told me that they have been given strict instruction to NOT send patients outside of FAHC and even have to fill out a form if patients insist, explaining the reason why they are “non-compliant”. FAHC does all it can to restrict patient choice and this behavior should not be tolerated with taxpayer monies. If non-profits wish to receive benefits from the public, they should not infringe on the very businesses that pay the taxes to subsidize them. I appreciate being heard.
Sharon Gutwin (emailed August 9, 2011)
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I would like to express my concerns surrounding the review process. In the past, we have always been able to get together, face-to-face, and ask the administration questions that we had concerning each budget. Now, the new process eliminates the ability to truly communicate directly with the administration. I have participated in many "phone conferences" and they are always frustrating. Many times we have had difficulties with the phone connections making it hard to understand what is being said. But, the biggest issue is that there is no physical connection. It is impossible to tell if the different parties are really paying attention to your concerns. As human beings, we rely a great deal on body language, facial expressions, etc. in order to communicate as transparently as possible. Also, by separating the administration physically from the questioner, it gives the feeling that are questions and feedback are not that important to the board.
My second issue relates to how salaries are reported to the board. FAHC lists the doctors as one lump sum and then all other salaries are grouped together. Given the extremely high compensation package that Melinda Estes received, it would be beneficial to all concerned to see the administrators' compensation packages as a separate line item. Given the current economic environment, with everyday workers losing large amounts of money from their retirement funds (if they can even afford to have retirement money), it is important to all concerned that the hospital be made more transparent and truthful about how much is spent on executives and other salaried administrators. Then, the board can give an informed opinion as to whether or not the hospital is on track.
Marie Meyer (emailed August 6, 2011)
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“As an employee of Fletcher Allen, and a community member in Vermont, I am outraged to hear the salaries that are occurring(at) the executive level. In times of economic hardship is it necessary to pay such extravagant salaries?”
Pursuant to its responsibilities under 18 V.S.A. §9406, the Department of Banking, Insurance, Securities and Health Care Administration (BISHCA) will hold its fiscal year 2012 hospital budget hearing on Thursday, August 4, 2011 from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. via Vermont Interactive Television. Fiscal years 2012 - 2013 hospital budget information will be posted weekly throughout the summer as hospital information and analyses are completed. Please check this site each week for the latest updates. You may submit your comments via email by selecting the "Submit Public Comment" button below. Written comments can be mailed to Hospital Budget Reviews c/o Janeen Morrison, BISHCA, 89 Main Street, Montpelier, VT 05620-3101. Please note that all public comment (written or emailed) will be placed on this website for the public to view. Department telephone: (802) 828-2900.
FY 2012 individual hospital budget orders are now available by clicking below on the "Individual hospital information" bullet.
