Cook County Health Board Transfers Millions from Special Purpose and Wage Funds to Cover External Provider Claims

Cook County Health (CCH) Board of Directors Meeting
September 27, 2019 

What did the Board Decide:

Cook County Health (CCH), CEO Shannon explained that underestimation of external claims from non-CCH  Network providers of the Managed Medicaid/CountyCare program exceeded the total appropriated dollars.  Payment of these bills necessitates transfer of funds from other CCH budgeted items still showing a positive balance. Over $80M was transferred form special Purpose and Wage Funds to cover the claims.  

The Board voted to purchase a renovated Blue Island building replacing the closing Oak Forest Clinic for $15.3 million, a savings over a 10 year $17.3 million lease. 

• Located at 12757 S. Western Ave. servicing the same population as Oak Forest Clinic/hospital, it will be a multi-disciplinary clinic including radiology, lab, specialty and primary care services. 
• Several Board Directors expressed concerns over the lack of parking and access as the nearby L station is slated to be shuttered.  Administration pointed out that “L” station closing would open up their parking lot, and an adjacent building might be purchased for parking.

What else did the Board discuss or refer to committee? 

• New vendor using “Big Data” and algorithms identified $1.9 million in overpayments which CCH hopes to recoup.
• Cultural Competency course & training program for CCH staff in development. Leadership are contributing components. Director Gugenheim urged that  all levels of the organization be involved in its creation.
• Dr. Mason, CEO of Cook County Dept. of Public Health reported adoption of the Good Food Purchasing Program (GFPP) by Chicago Public Schools; soon to extend to the County Sheriff’s Office and Juvenile Detention Center. It is a national organization and movement to bring ecologically positive changes to food sourcing including: 1) locally grown food 2) animal welfare and nutrition 3) environmental sustainability such as compostable cutlery and plates  
• Public Speaker, Laurie Cohen, of the Chicago Civic Federation called for greater transparency in presentation of CCH's finances. She alluded to the Board’s Sept. Finance Com. discussion & PowerPoint which states : CountyCare-CCH reimbursement rate has been adjusted to 100% of the Medicaid rate for current fiscal year.  There was no explanation of how this impacted the system or budget.

• CEO Shannon responded at the end of the meeting: Medicaid rate education would be considered.  This response does not seem to address Ms. Cohen’s concerns that the consequences of various financial metric variations are not elaborated on to the public.

  
​Observed by:  Susan Kern, MD and Megan Kennedy                       Meeting Length: 2 hours and 45 minutes