County offers its own idea on health funds

In a bold move to capture untapped federal dollars, Clark County will ask the Legislature's permission to apply for health care funds independent of the state.

Bill Hale, chief executive officer of University Medical Center, is pushing the plan, which would create a county-organized health system. The county would put up the funds required to qualify for federal grants. Usually such money comes through the state.

Hale said Clark County could get from $10 million to $30 million in federal money for people who don't qualify for Medicaid because they make too much money.

According to a newly released report "Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance and Uncompensated Care: The Role of the University Medical Center in Clark County," UMC paid $10 million in fiscal year 1997 for employed patients who had insufficient health care coverage and didn't qualify for Medicaid. Hale said the state isn't applying for federal funds for these people, and the county could step in and apply.

The county hospital also lost $30 million in fiscal year 1997 to uncollected indigent care, the report showed. The county provided an additional $35.6 million through property taxes, which brought the total UMC health care costs for fiscal year 1997 to $65.6 million.

"The federal funds are out there, ready to be matched," Hale said. "My recommendation would be to have the county take this over."

The hospital administrator said he would create a Medically Needy Program if approved for the organized health system to treat people who don't qualify for Medicaid.

The Clark County Commission gave Hale approval two years ago to seek the Legislature's support for a county-organized health system. Assemblyman David Goldwater, D-Las Vegas, said he is currently working on legislation.

"It's an innovative program," Goldwater said. "I think we will be able to access the federal dollars through the county system."

Such a system also would place the Nevada Check-Up and Medicaid programs under the county's authority. Hale said the county would handle the eligibility requirements but would want the state to continue to come up with funds of its own.

For fiscal year 1999-2000, the state has earmarked $4.7 million for the Nevada Check-Up program to ensure that an estimated 10,000 poor children get health care. The federal government is providing $8.7 million.

In fiscal year 1998, the state put up $173 million to get $267 million in federal funding for Medicaid statewide.

"In these areas, we are looking to explore everything," said Charlotte Crawford, director of the state Department of Human Resources. "We are very willing to look into a partnership. But who will be playing what role?"

Ria Marie Carlson, vice president of public relations of Sierra Health Services Inc., said she had not seen the proposed legislation and that it was too early to form an opinion on it.

Hale is proposing the system be run by a nine-member board: the seven county commissioners and two members chosen by the governor. The board also would be able to select advisory groups from local hospitals, social services and the medical community.

"Why not allow us to run the program from the county and preserve the quality of care?" Hale asked. "We want to put all the programs under one umbrella."

archive