July 2nd, 2012
San Francisco Chronicle: Leaked financial documents threaten CPMC deal
John Cote, SF Chronicle
Mayor Ed Lee’s deal with California Pacific Medical Center on a $2.5 billion overhaul of their medical facilities in the city, including building two new hospitals, took a new hit Monday after an anonymous whistleblower released internal financial documents that cast doubt on key pillars of the deal.
Lee has heralded the agreement, which includes building a 555-bed hospital at the intersection of Van Ness Avenue and Geary Boulevard, as a jobs creator that will ensure the city’s medical future.
The documents, though, show that the Sutter Health-affiliated medical group contemplated just days before the deal was announced in March the possibility of eliminating 379-full time positions at California Pacific Medical Center by 2018 to achieve $63 million in savings, an amount that grows to $70 million by 2022.
The documents, which include long-term financial projections for Sutter Health’s West Bay Region, also indicate that California Pacific Medical Center’s charity care commitment, which has clauses tying it to financial performance, could be substantially less than the called for in the deal.
June 29th, 2012
NUHW Sodexo workers win great contract
Keck Medical Center Sodexo Dietary workers who are members of NUHW bargained a great contract this week, with improvements including: 2 percent raises at ratification 2 percent raises in 6 months 3 percent raises in year 2 4 percent raises in year 3 Increases in minimum rates Ratification bonuses 5% reduction in individual HMO and […]
June 29th, 2012
Today’s Supreme Court decision
Healthcare workers understand the importance of today’s Supreme Court decision affirming the 2010 Affordable Care Act and its significance for patients and caregivers. The law’s provisions protecting healthcare consumers with preexisting conditions, eliminating lifetime caps on benefits and expanding access to affordable healthcare coverage are all important victories on the path to healthcare for all. […]
June 26th, 2012
Kaiser gouges patients while lining executive pockets
National Public Radio is reporting that Kaiser Permanente’s premium increases of up to 20 percent on its biggest customers may be the result of a practice called “shadow pricing.” Mark Smith, head of the California HealthCare Foundation, highlighted how Kaiser charges patients extra: “If your competitor takes $4 to make a banana and it only […]
June 26th, 2012
SEIU’s sell-out agreement at Dignity
First, Dave Regan and SEIU forced a disastrous contract on their members at Kaiser with cuts to workers’ retiree health benefits, an increased wage gap between North and South, and a “wellness program” that violates employees’ privacy rights. Now, they’ve done the same to 14,000 of us at Dignity Health. Last week, desperate to avoid […]