Some Questions About North Coast Health...

[Lori Allen _]

Can someone please confirm for me what exactly North Coast Health does that involves "planning and development"? It has come to my attention that between 9/22/2010 and 10/15/2015, the City of Lakewood has given $350,057.000 to North Coast Heath. The department description is "planning and development" and the expense type is "other", with no description of what exactly the money went to. I think that if the money were going toward helping the needy, that the department description should be "human services". Regardless, why is the expense type being listed as "other"? It is also worth noting that the clerk at North Coast Health absolutely does not receive funds from the City of Lakewood.

I do not have much experience with North Coast Health personally, but I am sure they do many great things. It is interesting however that over $350,000 of Lakewood taxpayer money has gone to them with little explanation of what exactly it was for.

Of course, it appears that the leadership of North Coast Health is polluted with alleged friends of Michael P. Summers:

Jay R. Carson
Fred DeGrandis
Tom Fraser
Thomas Gable
Dr. Charles Garven
Janice Murphy

If City Hall could post the documents as to where this $350,000 went and for what purpose, that would be great. They should be readily accessible electronically or in a file cabinet, in which case they can be easily scanned to computer. Or were they shredded after the new record retention schedule? Thank you.

North Coast Health 350k.jpg (218.86 KiB) Viewed 2633 times

[Lori Allen _]

The checkbook goes back, in many cases, to 2001. The North Coast Health money did not start until 2010. The timing is just interesting.

[Peter Grossetti]

it appears that the leadership of North Coast Health is polluted with alleged friends of Michael P. Summers

Lori - I think when you typed "populated" the internal spell check changed it to "polluted."

[Dan OMalley]

Lori -

Wondering what you mean by "with little explanation?" I was on the Citizens Advisory Committee last year which recommended allocations of federal CDBG funding, including funding to North Coast Health to provide medical services to the uninsured. I recall the explanation in that public meeting was actually quite thorough. And you are correct: North Coast Health does a lot of good.

[Lori Allen _]

"With little explanation" - i.e. listing the expenditure type as "other". That could be anything. Planning and development seems to have little to do with healthcare.

It might be easier for me to just contact HUD in Washington D.C. for copies of the approvals, disbursements, and other correspondence. Thanks.

[Peter Grossetti]

It might be easier for me to just contact HUD in Washington D.C. for copies of the approvals, disbursements, and other correspondence.

I'm guessing the application itself is public? That would show the original intent of the programming to be funded.

[Dan OMalley]

I'm guessing the application itself is public?

Of course. Click here and go to "FY 2017 CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE (CAC) PROCESS" http://www.onelakewood.com/community-vision/housing/

I was also able to quickly find applications from the last several years on the city's website, FYI.

[Lori Allen _]

Mr. O'Malley,

Could you please post all documentation from the city and North Coast Health that pertains to the total 350 thousand dollars. Could you please have North Coast Health Ministry release ALL of their 990 forms from 2009 thru 2015 and post them here on this thread.. I have spoken with North Coast Health twice and they are refusing to release this information. I believe by law, being a non-profit, they must release them. They are not all available on line. Thank you.

[Lori Allen _]

Actually, don't worry about it. HUD is in the process of responding to my request and the IRS should have the 990 forms on file. Thanks.

[T Peppard]

Can someone please confirm for me what exactly North Coast Health does that involves "planning and development"? It has come to my attention that between 9/22/2010 and 10/15/2015, the City of Lakewood has given $350,057.000 to North Coast Heath. The department description is "planning and development" and the expense type is "other", with no description of what exactly the money went to. I think that if the money were going toward helping the needy, that the department description should be "human services". Regardless, why is the expense type being listed as "other"? It is also worth noting that the clerk at North Coast Health absolutely does not receive funds from the City of Lakewood.

I do not have much experience with North Coast Health personally, but I am sure they do many great things. It is interesting however that over $350,000 of Lakewood taxpayer money has gone to them with little explanation of what exactly it was for.

Of course, it appears that the leadership of North Coast Health is polluted with alleged friends of Michael P. Summers:

Jay R. Carson
Fred DeGrandis
Tom Fraser
Thomas Gable
Dr. Charles Garven
Janice Murphy

If City Hall could post the documents as to where this $350,000 went and for what purpose, that would be great. They should be readily accessible electronically or in a file cabinet, in which case they can be easily scanned to computer. Or were they shredded after the new record retention schedule? Thank you.

North Coast Health 350k.jpg

Incredible research Lori.

[Bridget Conant]

As the health care landscape continues to change, NCH remains focused on aligning efforts to eliminate barriers to quality, affordable medical care, improve outcomes and eliminating health disparities.
• Community needs assessments conducted by Cleveland Clinic’s Lakewood and Fairview hospitals and University Hospital’s St. John Medical Center, between the years of 2013-2015, identify need for preventive care, primary care and mental health services.
• Per US Census Data, within State of Ohio, poverty levels remain above national levels for state of Ohio, at 15.8%. Projected poverty level of Cuyahoga County is 18.5. 2014 County Health Rankings, ranked Cuyahoga County 65/88 counties for health outcomes. It is projected that 10% of population remains uninsured even after full implementation of the ACA. Cuyahoga County (13.3%) has an even higher projected rate of uninsured.Despite the many changes transforming our nation's health care system, the need for our services is more critical than ever. People still struggle with affordability of care. In 2016, there are still families having to make the choice between paying their utilities and purchasing medications they need, or eating. There are still people who cannot afford premiums, deductibles or copays that their insurance plans require before they can see a doctor when they are sick. Many patients churn between being insured and uninsured due to employment status. On NCH’s most recent patient survey (April 2016), 61% of patients report they had nowhere else to go for care other than the emergency department before coming to NCH. NCH remains a needed and vital safety net provider for the west side of Cleveland.

The above is from the North Coast Health application for funds from Lakewood for 2017.

Phrases that stand out: "unmet needs," "nowhere to go for care," and "eliminate barriers to quality," and really, all of the above, show that our community is not being adequately served in terms of health care, yet we have this disconnect where those in charge think giving away the full service hospital and losing all the doctors to the suburbs is a good idea.

How do they reconcile this?

[Bill Call]

Nice work Lori.

One of the secret parts of this dirty hospital deal, aka the "Master Agreement", is to transfer the cost of charity from the Cleveland Clinic to the taxpayers of Lakewood.

Any money that is left over after the deal is complete will be transferred to a foundation controlled by the Cleveland Clinic. According to Councilman Sean Juris the stated purpose of the Foundation is to serve the needs of the people of "Lakewood and surrounding communities". One way they will serve the people is to fully fund North Coast Health. Charity care once provided by the Clinic will now be provided by the people of Lakewood.

The Clinic is notorious for its failure to provide charity care. In 2015 the Clinic had $6.7 billion in net patient service revenue and operating income of $480 million. How much charity care was provided? $65 million.

[Bridget Conant]

The entire point of granting a hospital entity non-profit status is that, in return for giving them tax-exempt status, they will provide free charity care, as needed.

The Clinic fails miserably in that regard.

[Ryan Salo]

The Clinic is notorious for its failure to provide charity care. In 2015 the Clinic had $6.7 billion in net patient service revenue and operating income of $480 million. How much charity care was provided? $65 million.

Bill, is this typical of larger Hospital Systems? Do you have any figures from other systems?

The Clinic is non-profit correct? Are there any minimum standards for charity work to maintain a non profit status?

[Bridget Conant]

http://healthaffairs.org/healthpolicybr ... ef_153.pdf