The Observation Deck

The District is working on a list of FAQs to be forthcoming.

Ms. Gordillo: As you and your colleagues prepare this FAQ, I would encourage the School District to avoid the nature of "facts" that we previously witnessed in our community from our local municipal government with respect to other recent activities of CCF.

Honesty, openness, clarity and accountability should be the aspirations and the actions of all public officials and public employees.

As taxpayers, we expect our public officials to make sure that all transactions are open, transparent, properly bid-out, compliant with law, and made without conflict of interest.

This is particularly true in this case where the current proposed MOU falls upon the heels of the spurious Subsidium proposal process that was used to deprive the citizens of Lakewood access to an on-going local hospital.

I appreciate and honor your commitment to public service.

I agree that any FAQ should be prepared with honesty, transparency, and accountability, no spin or sugar-coating. Unfortunately, there has been little honestly, transparency, and accountability since the beginning.

At the risk of beating a dead horse, I will say that there was very little public input in this process. More than likely, the contract was set in stone at least two or three years ago. While this FAQ is a noble idea, it should have been printed up and ready before the announcement, not after the fact. I find it deplorable that taxpayers are footing the bill not only for the construction of this clinic, but utilities, HIPPA-secure internet, a backup generator, etc. and that little to no public input was sought. Rather, it appears that there was a great effort made to "sneak" this deal through.

I believe I mentioned long ago that some (not all) of our school officials may be involved with Mr. Summers and City Hall more than is proper. I feel this could be another fraction of the City Hall charades.

Finally, I kindly suggest that the FAQ be much more than a simple sheet of paper. The contracts, meeting minutes, and other relevant documentation should also be released. If the contract is signed, there is no reason this should be kept confidential. It would be even better if the same could be posted right here, on the Deck, before the long weekend. This would do wonders for PR. However, I do not expect this. In the absence of any documentation, the circumstances surrounding this clinic should be looked into.

The bottom line: my suggestion is to just release the documentation. I hope this does not become a City Hall/public records charade, where citizens must file lawsuits to obtain documents. That would be even more costly to taxpayers.

Hey--- How 'bout my hypothetical of a student going to this "medical facility" and the student's family getting stuck with an unexpected bill in the hundreds of dollars?

Stan Austin wrote:Hey--- How 'bout my hypothetical of a student going to this "medical facility" and the student's family getting stuck with an unexpected bill in the hundreds of dollars?

"...hundreds of dollars?" It's 2017, Stan. Nothing CCF does costs "hundreds of dollars."

Families are being asked to fill out pretty detailed "health information" forms and to provide their insurance information to the Cleveland Clinic. They also ask for a "guarantor," that who will be responsible for payment should the Clinic not collect from your insurance.

Basically, they are harvesting health, demographic, economic, and insurance information from students and families.

Here are some pics of the papers sent home.
Any other entity would have to pay for this valuable data. But in Lakewood, we give it to the Clinic for free.

I hope parents think before turning this info over to the Clinic.

Bridget Conant wrote:Families are being asked to fill out pretty detailed "health information" forms and to provide their insurance information to the Cleveland Clinic. They also ask for a "guarantor," that who will be responsible for payment should the Clinic not collect from your insurance.

Basically, they are harvesting health, demographic, economic, and insurance information from students and families.

Here are some pics of the papers sent home.

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Any other entity would have to pay for this valuable data. But in Lakewood, we give it to the Clinic for free.

I hope parents think before turning this info over to the Clinic.

Is completing and submitting this document mandatory? What is the consequence if a family chooses to not complete/submit? Expulsion?

At this point I do not see it being mandatory. On social media many parents are asking about it and stating that they are not returning the paperwork.

Though there is some issue about having to "notify" the school in writing if you do not want to participate. I'm checking on that.

Bridget Conant wrote:At this point I do not see it being mandatory. On social media many parents are asking about it and stating that they are not returning the paperwork.

Though there is some issue about having to "notify" the school in writing if you do not want to participate. I'm checking on that.

Christine - Perhaps this could be addressed in the FAQs currently being prepared?

I'm amazed that publishing an FAQ document was not considered prior to this point!

I'm amazed that publishing an FAQ document was not considered prior to this point!

Really?

This is Lakewood, mind you. Where they do things behind closed doors and tell us taxpayers when it's "a done deal,"

Very disheartening to see the schools follow the lead of the city administration.

Not sure this is legal. Anyone?

paraphrased, I didn't memorize the exact words and phrases:

"... authorize Cleveland Clinic to release health records to Lakewood City School District ... "
"...after records are released, they may no longer be confidential ... "
"...Cleveland Clinic may CHARGE the recipient of the records, for the service of releasing the records ... "

So Cleveland Clinic charges Lakewood City School District for releasing the student's records ...
This sets up additional costs to our school district ... ??

Pardon my cynicism, but did any of us actually vote to have the Cleveland Clinic Foundation run our local government? This is getting ridiculous. What's next?

The forms are not mandatory.
No notice of opting out is required.
We got these for both of our kids (middle & high school) and just put them right into the recycling bin.
In addition to the Cleveland Clinic, there is a dental provider and an eye care provider.
My initial impression of the various forms was that they appeared pretty typical for visiting a new office/practice.
However, I did not study them or look for anything unique regarding the relationship with the school.
If you don't fill out these forms then your child can't use their services so you won't be charged anything.
If you do fill out these forms then you will be charged like other visits you make to the clinic and elsewhere.
These forms are not new this year. The building space is new but these med/dental/vision services are not.

Thanks Jeff for verifying this for us.

Bottom line: This whole clinic issue needs to be investigated. I said from the very beginning that I believed the Lakewood City School Board was involved in the hospital scam. It appears they have proved me correct. This really stinks folks.

Contact the State of Ohio Auditor. We need them to investigate, especially since the School district is refusing to post the agreement/contract online here on the Deck for all citizens to view. Especially since it has been requested.

What are they hiding?