Lawmakers are seeking aid for an Ohio hospital system in 'distress'

[TexasTowelie]

Republicans and Democrats from northeast Ohio are asking the Ohio Department of Medicaid to label the Summa Health network a "distressed hospital."

This designation would free up federal funds to be used for workplace incentives.

In the letter addressed to Medicaid Director Maureen Corcoran, the bipartisan group of legislators note Summa Health is the the largest safety net health system for the Greater Akron region. But they say the hospitals are struggling with the latest COVID-19 surge.

"The Summa Health system is in a crisis state. We urge you to use the resources we supported in H.B. 169 to provide necessary state workforce incentives so that our region can manage through this crisis," the letter stated, signed by 11 representatives and senators from the region.

House Bill 169 appropriates $4.18 billion using dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act to support a variety of sectors including public health and education.

Read more: https://www.statenews.org/government-politics/2021-12-23/lawmakers-are-seeking-aid-for-an-ohio-hospital-system-in-distress

[captain queeg]

1. My brother was a doctor in an Akron hospital

He semi retired several years ago. Just before Summa took over. He stayed in touch with some of his old coworkers. He’d worked in the ER and the other doctors there had formed a corporation and contracted with the hospital for many years. When Summa came in they cut wages 25% and cut the contract with the doctors. They told anyone who didn’t like it could leave and many doctors did leave that hospital had been a teaching hospital and they lost their accreditation. He was glad he left when he did.

[NEOBuckeye]

2. Summa has been run like garbage for awhile

This is the expected and inevitable result of years of mismanagement. At some point, they will probably just be bought out by the Cleveland Clinic, just as Akron General was.