CFO Beedle calls health care reform 'positive' for hospital

Susan Barr
Kern Valley Sun

Retired Kern County Firefighter David Derr wasted no time asking board members and hospital administrators the question on everyone’s mind at the April 6 Kern Valley Healthcare District meeting.

Derr, a resident of Kernville, asked KVHD representatives where they stood on the recently passed health care bill and what impact they believed it would ultimately have on the district.

CFO Chet Beedle, spoke with some reservation about the bill, “I can’t give you specifics as far as total dollars, but I don’t think there is any question that I concur wholeheartedly with the fact that any additional coverage for the uninsured is a positive for this facility.

“With Medicare regulations and with health care reform, which are government regulations related, it’s not just necessarily (about) interpretation, it’s (about) implementation,” Beedle said. “But overall, for this facility, without question it is a positive. Overall for the average person in this community, it is a positive.”

CEO Tim McGlew announced that Edith Cecil has been promoted to Director of Nursing for the Skilled Nursing Facility adding, “She has done a remarkable job so far working with the staff.” McGlew also spoke about the creation of a Family Council for family members of residents of the SNF.

“Word has spread and interest is growing., he said. The council will allow family members to sit down with hospital administration in an informal setting to discuss various issues.”

In his financial report Beedle stated, “We have some positive trends and some that are continuing not so positive.”

However, he added, “Third party payers are for the most part paying more slowly than they have in the past. The drop in our collections for insurance and managed care is tremendous here. A lot more people have dropped from the ranks of insured to uninsured.”

Commenting after the meeting, Derr stated, “I think my question may have been a little premature considering how recently this bill was passed.”

He added, “The board clearly demonstrated that they were all open-minded to whatever the law is going to do.”