by Carmella Gutierrez, Californians for Patient Care, 5/1/2013 Many of us know what it’s like to see a loved one grow older. We see the joys that a grandparent experiences, but also the hardships that come with health issues and becoming more dependent on others. Often, we ride the “roller coaster of health” with them. As we do, it can be difficult to know how to best help our loved ones continue to live long, healthy and fulfilling lives. The answer often lies in finding the best care close to home and family. And identifying the...

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Eastern Plumas Health Care’s impact video in support of SB 646 and 640 and AB 900, the CA state legislation to stop MediCal cuts to hospital skilled nursing facilities (DP/SNFs) is now available. Since EPHC’s own bill, SB 646, which exempts DP/SNFs from these cuts, has passed unanimously out of the Senate Health Committee, the hospital plans to share this video with all legislators who have negotiating power in the May budget revision process, including Senate President pro Tem, Darrell Steinberg, Assembly Speaker, John Perez, and Gov. Jerry Brown. The May budget revise offers the next opportunity to have the...

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This article, which appeared in California Healthline, is about AB 900, the most recent of three bills to get out of legislative Health Committees and on to Appropriations. May 02, 2013 - Capitol Desk Committee Votes To Repeal Medi-Cal Cut by David Gorn Assembly member Luis Alejo (D-Watsonville) got a grand total of seven seconds to speak at Tuesday's Assembly Committee on Health hearing before he was interrupted. "AB 900 eliminates the 10% Medi-Cal reimbursement rate cuts for all Medi-Cal providers … " Alejo started to say. "Move the bill," said committee member Roger Hernández (D-West Covina). And before Alejo could speak again: "Second!" said Assembly...

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On Wed., April 24, SB 646, the bill sponsored by Eastern Plumas Health Care was heard in the Senate Health Committee. Tom Hayes, EPHC CEO, Jon Kennedy, Plumas County Supervisor, skilled nursing resident Inez Fagliano's two daughters, Jan Tew and Jeanne Fagliano, and Linda Satchwell, PR Coordinator, all headed to Sacramento for the hearing. SB 646 sought to exempt the most vulnerable, rural skilled nursing facilities from the pending Medi-Cal cuts. These cuts would amount to a 23% reduction in payments going forward (approximately $1.3 million per year) and $2.4 million in retroactive cuts. In effect, it would be a large,...

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BRIAN DAHLE OP-ED; Rural Healthcare Crisis can be avoided I need your help. Our hospitals are in trouble. In 2011, the state budget agreement reduced Medi-Cal reimbursement rates for hospital-based skilled nursing facilities. The budget bill also made these cuts retroactive to June 1, 2011. These cuts are already law. They were passed before I was elected to the legislature. The Governor and the State Department of Health Care Services has the authority to modify these cuts. We need to make our voices heard to make sure they do not bankrupt our hospitals in Plumas,...

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By Jane Braxton Little Bee Correspondent Published: Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013 - 12:00 am | Page 3B PORTOLA – Within the next few weeks – even days – the hospital that has been saving lives in this rural Plumas County community since 1910 may itself face mortality. Eastern Plumas Health Care is confronting a combination of reductions in its Medi-Cal reimbursements that amount to as much as 25 percent of the total, said Tom Hayes, administrator of the 75-bed hospital. In addition to a $1.3 million annual cut to the federal Medicaid program, called Medi-Cal in California, the state Department of Health Care Services is...

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Contact information for letters protesting skilled nursing cuts: * Diana Dooley and Toby Douglas oversee implementation of the SNF cuts. You can ask them not to implement the MediCal cuts to our DP/SNFs or to exempt Eastern Plumas Health Care from these devastating cuts. 1. Diana Dooley, Secretary CA Health and Human Services Agency 1600 9th St # 460 Sacramento, CA 95814 Email: [email protected] Ms. Dooley’s assistant: Maria Campos-Vergara [email protected] 2. Toby Douglas Director, DHCS (Dept. of Health Care Services) P.O. Box 997413, MS: 0000 Sacramento, CA 95889-7413 [email protected] The legislators below can introduce and support legislation (currently AB900, sponsored by Assemblyman Louis Alejo, Salinas) rescinding these cuts. 3. Senator Ted Gaines State...

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Eastern Plumas Health Care would like to congratulate the co-winners of our Employee of the Month Award: Tracy Allara and Debbie Espana. Tracy Allara gives multi-tasking a new meaning--overseeing Infection Control and Employee Health as well as working in Utilization Review and Quality Assurance. Finally, she serves as an Acute/Emergency Room RN and an Operating Room RN. According to Tracy, who has worked for EPHC for nine years, the “strong feeling of family and community make [EPHC] a warm and welcoming place to work.” Teresa Whitfield, Director of Quality and Operations, said of Tracy: “Above all else, Tracy is a...

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We need your help to save our skilled nursing facilities and stop devastating cuts to MediCal that will hurt our entire hospital and community. Diana Dooley, CA Sec. of Health and Human Services and Toby Douglas, CA Dept. of Health Care Services are charged with implementing the cuts. Letters to them are URGENT, because they can begin implementation as soon as March/April 2013. Sen. Ted Gaines and Assemblyman Brian Dahle can work with Democrats to propose legislation to stop the cuts. The best letters are personal—tell them the 25% MediCal cuts to Eastern Plumas Health Care’s hospital skilled nursing facilities will...

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To All EPHC Supporters: As many of you know, our Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) are once again under the threat of massive MediCal cuts--and, 91% of our SNF patients are on MediCal. These cuts would mean a loss of $2.4 million this year and $1.3 million ongoing. In addition, the state of CA (through Assembly Bill 97) is making these cuts retroactive to June 1, 2011, meaning they plan to take back money they've already paid to us. These cuts are so extreme, they force EPHC to consider closing the Loyalton SNF, taking no more MediCal patients in our Portola...

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