LDS Apostle Quentin L. Cook

5:20:46 PM EDT
http://www.slideshare.net/Mormons4justice/new-l-d-s-apostle-quentin-l/1

Written by mormons4justice Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 0 comments: Add your own

2:00:26 AM EDT

Marin General Hospital
by MUTA Director Norman Carrigg, M.D. The problems at Marin General Hospital began in 1985 when the five elected directors of the District (all of Marin except Novato) leased the hospital for 30 years to a shell corporation. The hospital CEO and the MGH attorney (Quentin L. Cook) left public employ to run the privatized MGH (behind closed doors) that came into being with a massive transfer of public funds to the shell corporation.

Beginning in 1986, MGH became a cash cow, first for the California Healthcare System of San Francisco, and then for Sutter Health, the Sacramento-based hospital chain. And it was in 1986 that Supervisor Gary Giacomini described the privatization as the “biggest theft of public property in Marin history.” Moneys needed for patient care simply aren’t available. MGH was once known for its high quality care. That was pre-lease and lease up to the time Sutter took over in 1996.

--------------------------

Background

Many Marin residents are unaware that MGH belongs to the public as do school districts, for example. District taxpayers paid for the hospital opened in 1952 on donated land. An east wing was added and more recently a west wing. The west wing is known to be seismically safe by current standards. Most of the inpatients are in that wing. The hospital additions were financed with revenue bonds. Since hospital bond revenue is not taxable, interest costs are acceptable.

For years MGH has been self-sustaining and profitable. In fact, it is a cash cow for its current operator, Sutter Health, the Sacramento-based hospital chain. Sutter acquired a 1985 hospital lease in 1996. The hospital is scheduled to return to community control in 2015 when the lease expires.

The 1985 MGH Lease

In 1985 the hospital attorney, Quentin Cook, and its CEO, Henry J. Buhrmann, presented a 30 year lease to the five elected directors who signed without dissent. A shell corporation was formed with the hospital attorney and CEO assuming similar positions in the privatized hospital. Late 1985 millions of dollars of public assets were transferred to the new corporation which began operation behind closed doors. It still lacks transparency.

The public did not know. There were poorly-publicized meetings, inadequately covered by the local press. Dissenters were hardly noticed. I read the lease and wonder how anyone could sign it but one of the signers, Dr. Peter Eisenberg, was wildly enthusiastic about it for years. In contract Gary Giacomini, then a county supervisor, called it "the biggest theft of public property in Marin's history."

Beyond 1985

The privatized MGH "affiliated" with California Healthcare Systems in San Francisco in 1986. Millions of dollars of patient revenue made one-way trips across the Golden Gate Bridge. The one-way money flow changed direction in 1996 when the San Francisco operation and MGH merged into Sutter Health. Quentin Cook, then CHS president, became a Sutter vice-president.

The elected district board was dominated by management sycophants. Early 1996, at the behest of Buhrmann, MGH joined Sutter's "obligated group." It took the votes of three directors: Dr. Larry Bedard, Valerie Bergmann and Suzanna Coxhead. Bedard and Bergmann are history but Coxhead remains at the only Sutter sycophant on the elected board. What are the obligations? Any time there is more money in the hospital bank account(s) than needed for 14 days operation, Sutter has the right to sweep. This is known as "excess cash transfer." What I consider more dangerous is that MGH became one of the guarantors of Sutter's massive aggregate debt.

Written by mormons4justice Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 0 comments: Add your own

4:31:42 PM EDT

"The Cooks moved to [[Hillsborough, California]], where they had three children. Cook worked for 27 years as a corporate attorney, becoming a managing partner of Carr, McClellan, Ingersoll, Thompson and Horn in the [[San Francisco Bay area]], three years as president and [[chief executive officer]] of California Healthcare System, and vice chairman of Sutter Health System."

This is what was deleted from the Wikipedia Article on LDS Apostle Quentin L. Cook.

Written by mormons4justice Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 0 comments: Add your own

4:25:31 PM EDT

CORRECTING THE RECORD

"After a decade of economic challenges, Sutter Health is financially healthy today."

Sutter is attempting to justify its recent, record-breaking profits by claiming that the company suffered financial hardship over the past decade. What's the truth? According to its own financial records, Sutter earned a profit during every one of the past ten years, except for 1994 when it recorded a small loss of $532,000. Altogether, "nonprofit" Sutter made nearly $1.2 billion in profits during the past decade. In 2003, Sutter was one of the most profitable hospital chains in the nation, earning an 8.2% profit margin that is nearly 400% higher than the national average. Observers believe that Sutter's skyrocketing prices, which stem from the company's monopoly-like power across Northern California, have contributed greatly to its booming profitability.

Sutter's "financial health" is "good news for the patients and communities we serve..."

When a company's "financial health" results from price-gouging consumers, then it's not such good news for the public. According to Blue Shield, Sutter's prices are 80% higher than the statewide average. Recently, the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) dropped 13 Sutter hospitals from its health plan because Sutter refused to lower its astronomical prices. CalPERS President Sean Harrigan calls Sutter Health "the poster child of corporate greed" in the California health care industry.

"...we reinvest our earnings into better health care."

Like hospital systems across California, Sutter must rebuild its hospitals to comply with California's earthquake safety law. At the same time, Sutter is diverting hundreds of millions of patient-care dollars to Wall Street. During the past two years, Sutter funneled $665 million into its investment portfolio, which totaled $1.8 billion at the end of 2003.

Sutter also uses its "earnings" to fund million-dollar executive salaries as well as the company's relentless corporate expansion. Through mergers and acquisitions, the company has more than doubled in size during the past decade, and soon will take over 122-bed San Leandro Hospital.

"As a not-for-profit organization, Sutter Health has no stockholders. Our assets are used to support our charitable health care mission."

While Sutter's parent corporation is legally a nonprofit, Sutter operates dozens of for-profit subsidiaries, including an insurance company in the Cayman Islands. Tax records reveal that Sutter has transferred millions of dollars from its nonprofit hospitals to its for-profit subsidiaries. Also, Sutter has spent thousands of patient-care dollars to oppose legislation (Assembly Bill 1629) that would require hospitals to provide improved transparency and accountability for their use of health care monies. Sadly, Sutter seems determined to stop common-sense reforms that would allow the public to better understand where Sutter's profits are going.

In its recent advertisement, Sutter claims that its average prices are “right in line with those of other Northern California hospitals.” Sutter cites statistics from a study to support this assertion. Here are the facts:

• The study cited by Sutter was funded and directed by Sutter, and produced by Sutter’s own high-priced consulting firm.
• Blue Shield’s analysis of the actual prices that Sutter charged its patients revealed that Sutter’s prices are 60% higher than the Northern California average.
• The Federal Trade Commission has subpoenaed Sutter documents as part of an ongoing anti-trust investigation. Officials are investigating whether Sutter’s monopoly-like hold over East Bay hospitals is having harmful effects on consumers. Concerns have intensified with Sutter’s recently announced takeover of San Leandro Hospital. After the takeover, Sutter will control nearly 60% of the hospital business in an area stretching from Richmond to Hayward. In San Francisco, Sutter controls nearly 50% of the city’s private hospital beds.

Written by mormons4justice Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 0 comments: Add your own

4:21:47 PM EDT

Sutter Health's high prices, predatory treatment of uninsured patients and lack of adequate charity care have recently brought much attention to the company. Even though it is legally a non-profit health system, Sutter now faces many of the same issues that have plagued major for-profit healthcare systems over the last several years. Sutter's recent dispute with the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS), an ongoing investigation of anti-trust issues by the Federal Trade Commission, critiques of its charity care practices by government officials, lawsuits, and other patient care issues have promoted widespread public concern over Sutter's actions. This website was created to keep investors, who have purchased more than a billion dollars in Sutter's corporate bond debt, informed about recent activity concerning Sutter Health.

http://www.suttercorporatewatch.com/pressroom.php

Written by mormons4justice Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 0 comments: Add your own

4:08:22 PM EDT

An example is

Marin General Hospital. Our public hospital is

operated by a so-called non-profit, Sutter Corp.,

which profited $465 Million last year alone, in

part by cutting care to Marin patients. MGH is

now threatened with loss of Medicare and

Medical funding, which will be devastating for

many of Marin’s seniors. Kaiser patients are

impacted by overcharges for MGH trauma care.

How did this happen to a public owned facility?

[History: MGH was operated by the public

District board until Sutter’s predecessor got

control for zero dollars in a conflicted deal.

Sutter now uses MGH revenues

to fund their 28-hospital chain.]

Sutter Health uses MGH as its cash cow. Money

siphoned by Sutter from the non-profit MGH can

legally be invested in for-profit Sutter businesses.

Patient revenue siphoned to Sacramento means

lesser care at MGH. In fact, the privatized MGH

is now in danger of losing its Medicare and

Medi-Cal funding because of Sutter’s substandard

quality of care.

Written by mormons4justice Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 0 comments: Add your own

4:03:27 PM EDT

Currently, the elected Marin General board is suing Sutter Health of Sacramento, operator of the hospital, to break a 1985 lease. The crux of the lease is that at inception, the lessee, Marin General Hospital Corp., violated California government code, section 1090.

The elected board alleges that the two 1985 principals, then both public employees, made a lease that benefits them. If so, the law was violated and the lease can be voided. There is no disagreement that CEO Henry J. Buhrmann and Hospital lawyer Quentin Cook switched from the public Hospital once the lease was in place.

in 1986, Marin General joined California Healthcare System, San Francisco. Millions of dollars made a one-way trip across the Golden Gate Bridge. In 1996, Marin General and California Healthcare System "affiliated" with Sutter Health.

Marin General pays Sutter an annual $2 million affiliation fee. Sutter has the right siphon Marin general money any time there is more than enough money in the till for 14 days' operation (of the hospital). Marin general is the most productive cash cow in the Sutter herd. The efforts to get the hospital to community control are being fought vigorously by Sutter.

Norman Carrigg, M.D.
San Rafael

Written by mormons4justice Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 0 comments: Add your own

3:54:16 PM EDT

The El Camino

Hospital District

An Ideal Case Study for Marin

From: Friends of Marin Healthcare Brochure

El Camino Hospital District was well-functioning and

offered a broad spectrum of healthcare services to its

residents until 1992, when the Board turned over the

District’s operation, management and assets to a private

50l(c)(3) corporation named Camino Healthcare.

In October 1995, after significant financial losses and

service cuts, the District Board filed suit over validity of the

1992 contracts, charging conflict of interest. In 1997, the

District won its suit, and the hospital and all assets

returned to District control.

Less than 100 days later, El Camino was once again profitable

and worker relations were greatly enhanced. Today

employees are proud of where they work. Long-delayed

improvements have been made. Rolled-back employee benefits

have been reinstated. Letters from patients express

gratitude that the “old” El Camino Hospital is back.

Since then, El Camino became a teaching partner with

Stanford University, purchased state-of-the-art equipment,

and provides state-of-the-art care. Today, El

Camino is considered one of the nation’s top hospitals.

Its accolades include:

One of Top 100 Cardiac Hospitals in the country

One of Top 100 Orthopedic Hospitals in the country

The #1 hospital in 2000 for the quality of inpatient

nursing care, out of 120 hospitals assessed

Highest ranking for overall performance from the

Patients Evaluation of Performance in California, from

the nation’s largest publicly-reported and most comprehensive

hospital patient survey

Named in 2003/2004/2006 as one of the nation’s Most

Wired by Hospitals & Health Networks magazine.

Designated in 2005 as California’s first communitybased

Nursing “Magnet™” Hospital by American Nursing

Association’s Credentialing Group.

Recognized as one of the nation’s top performanceimprovement

leader hospitals

In 2004, El Camino was the sole recipient of the

President’s Award for Customer Satisfaction from among

300 hospitals nationwide. In 2005 it was an American

Hospital Association McKesson Quest for Quality Prize®

finalist — one of four hospitals in the country recognized

for leadership and innovation in quality, safety, and commitment

to patient care.

District Board members currently include two physicians,

a clinic administrator, a Stanford research scientist,

and a computer industry program manager.

Written by mormons4justice Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 0 comments: Add your own

3:53:21 PM EDT

County population about 200,000

Marin Community Clinic forms.

Beryl Buck dies, leaving her estate to the Leonard and

Beryl Buck Foundation, to be administered by San

Francisco Foundation solely to benefit Marin’s needy.

Kaiser opens new 5-story hospital in Terra Linda.

1970s

County population about 215,000

1980–81

Sutter Health forms in Sacramento.

SF Foundation says too few needy people live in Marin

to honor Buck’s wishes.

1982–84

CA Healthcare System forms (current status: merged).

CA law changed to permit lease of District hospitals.

A PAC forms with the goal of electing 5 members to the

MHD Board who favor privatization. PAC members

include physicians who later would receive contracts from

the newly privatized MGH, developers who later invested

with MGH physicians in real estate near the hospital, local

bankers who would finance these deals, and prominent

local politicians.

1985

Novato Community Hospital seeks affiliation with MGH.

When rebuffed, it affiliates with Sutter Health.

MHD authorizes revenue bonds to build new hospital

tower.

Healthcare District law is amended to permit District

hospitals to meet in closed session to protect trade

secrets and to contract for professional health services

without a competitive bid.

The District CEO and Counsel negotiate a 30-year deal to

lease Marin General Hospital to their own private corporation,

conveniently named “MGH Corp.” MGH Corp.

then becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of California

Health System (CHS), headed by the District’s Counsel.

The District transfers all its assets to MGH Corp., effectively

handing over authority to set policy and standards

of care at MGH, and the authority to manage the

Hospital, Marin Home Care, and the MGH Foundation.

1986

Court gives Marin Community Foundation the role

of distributing the Beryl Buck trust.

CHS takes over California Pacific Medical Center

(merger of five SF hospitals), Alta Bates, and the

newly privatized Mills-Peninsula Hospital.

1987–89

CHS/MGH buy Ross General Hospital and sell to JMA

Properties, which immediately closes Ross General.

Based on the activities in Marin County, California

Healthcare District law is amended to require a public

vote to approve any future lease of any District hospital.

County population about 225,000

1990–94

District Board authorizes using bond funds originally

intended for MGH upgrade to purchase and build

Cancer Center at 1350 So. Eliseo.

Sutter Health reduces beds at Novato Community

Hospital from 75 to 62.

California Emergency Physicians given contract to

manage MGH Emergency Room.

Sutter Health and CHS begin merger talks.

Nurse staffing cuts begin at MGH and other CHS

hospitals to reduce operating costs. Unlicensed

caregivers are hired to provide care at the bedside.

MGH Corp. and Marin IPA form the Marin Physician

Hospital Organization (PHO). PHO allows Sutter to

negotiate insurance contracts through a for-profit

subsidiary. IPA and MGH Corp. split profits.

1995–97

The California Department of Health Services cites MGH

for 40 violations of health and safety laws regulating

healthcare quality.

US News & World Report releases a report ranking MGH

in the bottom 25% in all specialties and absolutely last

in cardiology.

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare

Organizations (JCAHO) ranks MGH in the lowest 5% of

hospitals nationally.

Making none of this public, in December 1995, the District

board approves MGH joining Sutter by a vote of 2-0.

Marin Safe Healthcare Coalition forms to fight

declining quality of care, staffing cuts, and efforts

to cut psychiatric care.

CHS and Sutter Health merge. Sutter becomes CHS

successor and de facto manager of MGH Corp. and

Marin General Hospital.

1995–97 (continued)

MHD Board votes that Sutter/MGH violated lease by failing

to provide notice of lack of neurosurgeons.

MHD Board votes unanimously that MGH Corp. has

breached the lease.

MHD Board files lawsuit in Sacramento County Superior

Court, charging conflict of interest in making the lease

contract and breaches in the lease

1998–99

District settles lease breach portion of suit against

Sutter/MGH. CA Supreme Court refuses conflict of

interest appeal.

Ross Psychiatric Hospital closes as a result of Medicare

billing fraud.

Marin County threatens to sue MGH/Sutter for withholding

rent payments, making the District unable to pay

the bill for the 1996 election and upcoming election.

Report released on California Department of Health

Services citations against Sutter/MGH for violating at

least 135 state or federal laws or regulations governing

hospital care, some as many as five different times.

County population about 250,000

After severe nurse staffing cuts and the shift to

unlicensed staff, physicians begin to warn about the

slashing of services for profits and a looming patient

care crisis.

Marin County places more mentally ill, and all mentally

ill adolescents, out of county after Ross closure.

Neurology Clinic of Marin forms.

Marin Surgery Center forms.

Marin Rehabilitation Hospital forms.

County hires outside trauma experts to evaluate

trauma plan. They recommend Level II trauma care be

instituted in Marin.

Decisions for 2006 and beyond

Hospital retrofit or new build.

Finalize agreement with Sutter Health for early

termination of the lease.

Plan for Level 2 trauma care

Written by mormons4justice Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 0 comments: Add your own

3:39:04 PM EDT

Marin General Hospital
by MUTA Director Norman Carrigg, M.D. The problems at Marin General Hospital began in 1985 when the five elected directors of the District (all of Marin except Novato) leased the hospital for 30 years to a shell corporation. The hospital CEO and the MGH attorney left public employ to run the privatized MGH (behind closed doors) that came into being with a massive transfer of public funds to the shell corporation.

Beginning in 1986, MGH became a cash cow, first for the California Healthcare System of San Francisco, and then for Sutter Health, the Sacramento-based hospital chain. And it was in 1986 that Supervisor Gary Giacomini described the privatization as the “biggest theft of public property in Marin history.” Moneys needed for patient care simply aren’t available. MGH was once known for its high quality care. That was pre-lease and lease up to the time Sutter took over in 1996.

The hospital requires seismic upgrades of its central and eastern wings. Sutter does not want the responsibility and for that reason, among others, is willing to terminate the lease before 2015. The crucial need now for voters is to elect consumer advocates to the Healthcare District board.

The team of Dr. Larry Bedard and Dr. James Clever is hoping to form a bloc with Sharon Jackson, a Sutter sycophant, who came on the board in 2004. I do not consider that troika will work in the public interest, although Dr. Clever is somewhat of an unknown. Bedard is not. He was a director in 1994-96, until he was recalled in November 1996.

I think the pro-consumer trio of Dr. Jennifer Rienks, Jonathan Frieman and Kathleen Russell could fill the three vacancies on the board comfortably. Dr. Archimedes Ramirez, a director since 2004, needs to be joined by directors who are interested in bringing back the high standards of yesteryear’s quality patient care.

*

An excerpt from a member’s letter:

The Sept 11 IJ editorial “Healthcare Circus Must End” deserves comment. I did not consider it a circus, but there was reason for activist anger.

It surprised nobody that Robert Derzon was the choice of three Marin Healthcare District directors to fill the 60-day vacancy created by the death of Dr. Lawrence Arnstein. Directors Coxhead, Jackson and Severinghaus joined by new director Derzon were involved in a controversial vote to sell district property at 1260 South Eliseo. The IJ pointed out that Derzon was accused of conflict of interest because of his involvement with Marin Community Clinic, which wants to buy the property.

The 1260 land, not needed now, may be essential in the future. Radiation therapy is now done in Sutter-owned 1350 South Eliseo. It may be mandatory in the future to move out, and 1260, like 1350, has the requisite room lead lining. This is a sale that should be submitted to the district voters, or at least openly and thoroughly debated. Dr. Archimedes Ramirez is the only director to oppose the sale.

A front page Sept. 13 report advised readers that “negotiators for the Marin Healthcare District and Sutter Health have hammered out a definitive agreement for ending Sutter’s management of Marin General Hospital.” The district negotiators were board members Sharon Jackson and Dr. John Severinghaus. This pair negotiated with Sutter secretly, as Sutter demanded. The other board members were excluded. This inexcusable detour around democratic process works in Sutter’s favor, not the district’s.

Sutter will using MGH as a cash cow, and by the terms of the agreement will not have to contribute to any seismic upgrade. The agreement at this point is hardly definitive.

Written by mormons4justice Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 0 comments: Add your own