State Representative John Rogers Asks: “Where’s the Money?”
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – State Representative Mary Moore and Birmingham City Councilor Sheila Tyson has announced their support for an independent health care authority to manage Jefferson County’s Indigent Care Fund.
“Dr. Mark Wilson and Will Ferniany are on the right track of straightening out the mess caused by County Commission’s mismanagement,” said State Representative Mary Moore. “Both of these men have dedicated their careers to community health, and we are pleased with the proposals they are putting forward.”
Dr. Wilson, the CEO of the Jefferson County Department of Health, also supports a recommendation to create a health care authority to independently manage the indigent care fund and the institution formerly known as Cooper Green Mercy Hospital. Wilson also proposed a board structure comprised of mostly health care professionals instead of politicians.
“Dr. Wilson worked at Cooper Green for almost 20 years. No one knows the challenges and the opportunities over there better than him,” Tyson said. “The County Commission unanimously voted to have Sandra Hullet create a health care authority plan over two years ago, but never gave her the opportunity to present her findings. This is their second chance to do the right thing.”
Ferniany, CEO of the UAB Healthy System, has discussed with the County Commission a request for proposal that would allow hospitals and managed health care organizations to submit bids to manage the indigent care fund and the former hospital.
“We believe this is a way to get the best and brightest minds in Birmingham engaged on solving this problem,” Moore said. “(David) Carrington, (Jimmie) Stephens) and (Joe) Knight have said from day one they wanted to get the County out of the health care business; well, this is their chance to do that.”
State Representative John Rogers said the County must first tell tax payers how it’s spent the indigent care funds since it shut down inpatient care at Cooper Green.
“I’m laying here in the hospital right now,” said Representative Rogers, who is recovering from hip replacement surgery. “The County still refuses to say what they are doing with our tax dollars. A couple of months ago they said that they had taken in more than $38 million and had spent $34 million, but they haven’t paid a nickel in hospital costs to St. Vincent, Brookwood or Baptist Princeton. So my first question remains my only question: where is the money?”
