RUMOR HAS IT...

Rumor Has it…

Here’s our list of rumors from the Kern River Valley- Lake Isabella Region, regarding issues of importance, such as the DAM INVASION and the HEALTHCARE/WElFARE program called KVHD, Kern Valley healthcare District.

In the KNEWS today…

Reports of residents of the Skilled Nursing Facility breaking free from the hospital have been reported over the last week. (Watered down Generics?)

There are many conflicting stories, but RUMOR has IT, one got a way, and has yet to be found. Lawsuit making history kind of stuff.

It is also said, that a man in a wheel chair from the hospital was struck by a car in his run from the district’s long term care facility.

Will check with the Sheriff’s office as a helicopter was said to have been part of the search for the escaped residents. Some report must have been filed as this would be required by law. (sorry, I forgot I’m in the lawless lands)
No word from CEO, Tim McGlew, yet on the circumstances surrounding these SNF “Breaks.”

A follow up call to the hospital on Friday, had McGlew busy in LA at a meeting. I’m sure we will know a bit more next week.

Rumor For RENT…

Rural Health Clinic has been rumored to have an issue treating PAIN in their patients.

A cure for overcrowding at a clinic, would be to stop treating certain conditions, and asking or sending or ignoring patient needs causing them to seek assistance elsewhere.

Clinica Sierra Vista, an independent company, may have a new way to make money, treat Rural Healthcare patients who can‘t obtain full service. (duh)

As Some rumors have it that there is a problem if you have pain, and want to treat that pain, it won‘t be thru KVHD‘s Rural health center. An influx of former rural patients is rumored to have begun as the clinic doctor is rumored to be shying away from signing CERTAIN types of medication prescriptions.

Oddly, this is after CEO, Tim McGlew, opened ALL our EYEs wide to the need for PAIN MANAGEMENT last year.
Could it be they are managing pain by NOT doing any thing at all? 

Question off to hospital for response.

How much money is CEO Tim McGlew making, including ALL his benefits? RUMOR has it, I’m missing a few links…

Raises at the hospital? Some employees are squawking as the CEO rode home to vacation for a spell after the hard fought RAISE he won at the September board meeting.

Rumor has it the employee base maybe feeling left out on the left over monies.

Merit badges can only go so far (just guessing) but rumor has it there is some serious friction between the haves and have nots.

Paperwork request will be submitted on the Mchistory of his Mcsalary. And the basis of the employee complaints are only RUMOR, so to have it, we need a few facts…Hello.



Finally,

RUMOR HAS IT, rumor has it….

The BIGGEST fish to enter the KRV pond of late, Army Corps of Engineers, have engineered a way to quickly get to work on the dam prior to any sorting out of issues such as REALITY!

Predators such as ACE, can be found in all walks of life, they eat and spit out critics such as me. They won’t answer, they will not be held accountable, such as the 40 million dollar “Safety media blitz” and when the time comes to say something sensible, They won’t and don’t have to.

This is your Army Corps of Engineers. Be Proud America, these are the forces fighting to take your land, money, and dignity. (Some may have had mothers, but many were created in Petri dishes in a lab. Those are the nice ones, the others came from Katrina Disaster, and have a thick layer of skin where there once was a chest cavity for a heart. lol) 

Get REAL and GET OUT of our VALLEY until there is some Check other than the balance in the accounts of those who would so easily walk into our homes, our town, with a fishy tail of sudden interest based on safety.

Put a Dam in the  neighborhoods being Glued together in the BAkersField once was a Grove of Oranges, squeezed out by the Upper Middle Food Chain membership. The houses, one after the other, until suburbia covers the Pock marks left by INDUSTRIES such as OIL and other unholy, earth Scorchers.

Yeah, a DAM at the Mouth of the Canyon, where it’s Narrow, why not a new, INNOVATI”ON?

Out of the BOX means, take off the lid and Climb out. And to do this a BRAVE company of Independent, authentic auditors of some merit, need to be UnRESTRICTED, in their tireless reappraisal of current plans.

Congratulations to Community Members for Questioning, X-raying these Claims on this dam and it’s Plans. Money and Land, sounds familiar, oh yeah, the Indians who were here could RELATE to this predicament. lol Day jaw dropping Vu...

PROVE IT FIRST!

(Hell, poke a hole in the dam thing and call me stupid. Otherwise, I’m going to poke a fork into you and call you done. Dinner fork or dessert fork? Lol)

Rumor has it….
Feel free to send in or call with “RUMOR has it” stories as they appear to be more factual than the supposed facts we are given by elected and paid officials, in answer to serious questions.

Muymala@msn.com

Pics from March 2012 board meeting...

Meeting highlights:

Cal Mtg. cannot afford to travel to the district to oversee board meetings says KVHD CEO Tim McGlew.

New wound care specialist who also does plastic surgery...

 Kern Health systems has 100 million dollars just sitting around waiting for KVHD...

 Mental health help for victims of suicide at high school.

 New Cal Mtg. deferment best in California.

 KVHDunderFire: a channel for us all to tune into....http://www.youtube.com/user/kvhdunderfire?feature=results_main

UPDATED:New tax measure talk of the town: Cal Mtg. and KVHD

Uncle Tim and Uncle Chet want you, but mostly your money

The news is out, the first item in the latest strategic plan is the very thing that KVHD administrators and board members don't like to talk about...your money becoming their money...taxes.

The 2010 Measure G, fell like a rock in the election under the pressure of a failing economy as hospital administrators quickly threw together a 20 million dollar GOB without notifying the community until late in the election year or having solid plans to share with people who had questions.

It probably didn't help that also in August of 2010, CEO Tim McGlew, took a raise while employees salaries were frozen, then they came to the community for more money which was to put on a new ER with radiology. McGlew is also the highest paid CEO to date, coming into a 25 bed acute care hospital, at over 200K dollars, annually, with two raises in two years, and two defaults in two years.

(How would that justify a merit raise which should be the standard in the industry using practical as well as ethical policies when paying its hired help?)

It's the Government's fault: they are government

CFO, Chet Beedle has been relieved to blame the on-going hospital financial problems on the current recession, but anyone with a knowledge of the district's history, knows this started 25 years ago when the district borrowed against valley property owners taxes to expand the hospital.

They sold bonds. Revenue bonds.

And those who know the history also understand that excuses and scapegoating are almost what they do best at KVHD.

The original sin

The expansion deal of 1986, as we know, went bad, and we paid twice as much and only built half the construction project. Do your math. You will need to add a lot of zeros, but this cost not only money, but the quality of healthcare in the valley. The ability keep up with rapidly changing technology. The inability to keep and retain quality and community requested services.

It also left them antiquated, with equipment such as PHACO machines for cataract surgery, and cardiac equipment purchased by the KVHD Hospital Foundation, stored away, not put to use, though I'm sure it was depreciated.

Hard to believe, but we had two PHACO units, and one was stored in the closet of a chiropractor for several years until he asked them to remove it. (The lack of sense and continuity in their spending is outrageous, we have barely touched on it yet)

Why should you care?

This is your debt. If you own property within the boundaries of the Kern Valley Healthcare District: you own that debt. If the hospital stops existing and paying that debt, you will begin paying that debt. Ask the residents of Concord or Pittsburgh, California, as they are finally nearing the end of paying state creditor with the office of statewide healthcare planning and development, OSHPD, our friends and anchor, CAL MTG.

The reason for my redundancy on this issue, is that many residents do not understand that they are the debt holders. When the hospital added another 6.8 million this year, I did not hear anyone flinch, when they apparently "agreed" with the district to go forward with this "Beedle deal," and encumber themselves further.

But that's not the whole story: The GOB and the new debt reserve/ not a loan though

Board Counsel, Scott Nave wrote to me shortly after I sought information from Cal Mtg. regarding the latest encumbrance, 6.8 million you and your family and future offspring recently spent.

There is a serious conflict in this area, where Mr. Nave, of Leimeux and Oneill, and the legal counsel for Cal Mtg., Don Morey, have completely different stories regarding this latest financial venture created by CFO, Chet Beedle, who has his own story, as well as CEO, Tim McGlew.

What happened to our rights?

In an effort to understand the deal, as the timing was shortly before the board voted to allow the community to hear information from another attorney, David Weinstein, who was to speak regarding all the options the district might have concerning negotiating with debt insurer, Cal Mtg. or the viability of bankruptcy, etc.

Weinstein's visit, which was solely informational, and cost less than the seat warmers in KVHD CEO, Tim McGlew's Jaguar convertible, should have been accessible prior to the decision to go forward with another "quasi-financial" deal with Cal Mtg.

But as everything KVHD, they continue to prowl at night, creating business plans that go to financial institutions without board approval, offering tax dollars to gain approval for extra money on their line of credit, holding off anyone who might know more than the CFO or have ties to others that are benefiting from these illegal and unethical practices.

Mr. Weinstein came to the valley, he spoke for 3 hours, but that was after the CFO, and CEO, had safely sealed the latest stop gap agreement for 6.8 million which would have changed the information he would be giving as we asked for information prior to any more spending. And the board voted for it.

You likely didn't hear about the options, as the local media, actually, refused to take the information or cover the story. Ask Sue Barr of the Kern Valley Sun Newspaper or call for a video copy.

So who do we believe?

Okay, two attorneys, a CFO and a CEO, walk into a bar, the first one says...I apologize, but this is a joke, to have to constantly juggle all the different answers that should be simple and straightforward.

As I said, the first item on the new strategic plan is to begin the campaign for another general obligation bond, GOB, that is collected in property taxes from residents of the valley. The bond CANNOT be used to pay the debt, but somehow I believe they will "funge it."

Nave responds in an email:

The District has not eliminated a general obligation bond from future plans. In fact, it was one of the first items in the strategic plan. Cal Mortgage is aware of and, to our knowledge, in concurrence with this plan
But Cal Mtg. said they were clearing up the confusion:
I hope this clears up any confusion surrounding the current situation between the District and the Office. The intent and effect of this plan should be to increase Medicare and Medi-Cal cost reimbursements to the District and lower overall costs, particularly in the short run, to allow the District to implement steps to increase revenue and reduce expenses.

This will result in more time and money which the District can use to improve services, make capital improvements and generate sufficient revenue to support the District’s medical services without the necessity of a general obligation bond measure.

Don Morey

What we have here is one story from KVHD that they are in sync with Cal Mtg. and all believe they should go forward with a tax hike next year.

But as Cal Mtg. responded above, they gave them this last bit of crumbs, to avoid having to overburden this valley with a GOB...so they say.

We're playing hot potato with this

Now, on January 5, 2011, Chet Beedle requested that Cal Mtg. make this agreement, but on December 2, 2010, the board had voted to let the community hear about ALL the financial options, which were to be presented by David Weinstein initially. We asked for this information and the board voted to go forward.

But just as in 2009, when I had asked the board and administrators, and even local government to try and negotiate some sort of deal, a deferment, anything that could stop the bleeding, again the CFO, Chet Beedle, managed to keep that from happening. Beedle and then CEO, Rick Carter, along with Bradley Armstrong, began harassing the board member in favor of attempting a solution.

It was called off, because of bullying on the KVHD end.

Just a minutes

Mr. Beedle repeatedly lied about the financial condition of the hospital on video, and in emails. The only thing Cal Mtg. has done is read the minutes from the meetings and have some secret meetings. That is why I had to protest the minutes at a board meeting, with long time administrative secretary Heidi Sage, who was not putting in my comments verbatim as I had requested.

The film is rather funny, as the board members argued with me that I could NOT pull the minutes from the agenda, as they didn't even know the meeting basics. I guess that is what the board attorney Scott Nave is being paid the big bucks for.

But they also lied to Cal Mtg.

In a series of emails beginning in November of 2009, between KVHD CFO, CEO, and Cal Mtg. case manager, Mabel Chan, it becomes clear that the administration was hiding the dire situation occurring financially from both the community and their insurer.

Beedle was attempting to get a total of one million for his operational line of credit, but was being turned down. He offered up the fact that the bank who would fork over the full million would also get to manage the GOB monies he told Chan that our community was supporting at that time...Feb/March 2010. He said they had 80% support.

According to CEO, Tim McGlew, in an email dated April 2010, they had not done a survey as I had inquired after reading the correspondence, and he was going to "look into it." I'm waiting patiently.

The defeat of the bond measure last year, showed the community has learned more about the issue and turned their backs on the district and sent them a clear message...on a billboard: NO ON MEASURE G.

The Beedle request on behalf of the district:

Here again, Cal Mtg. accepts Beedle's request for assistance as the piggy bank or AKA the debt reserve fund is depleted for the second time in just over ten years.

Yet, Cal Mtg. justifies the deal by simply saying the hospital has been struggling for last few years (it's 25 years to be accurate) and that the district is now attempting to reduce costs.

They also attempted to cut costs in 2005 which lead to an investigation into "short staffing, dehydrated patients, falsifying staffing documents and physical restraints in the nursing center."

It makes you wonder if there isn't some liability on both parties here in the elder abuse case or at any time when the hospital failed to provide proper and legal staffing.

Low rent district

The CFO had free rent for 10 years and now is paying $60 a month, is that what Cal Mtg. is talking about when they say reducing costs, because Beedle only began paying rent shortly before they admitted to the community they were in default on their debt covenant.

But again Beedle on film, told the audience at the July 2010 board meeting, that yes they were in default but received a special "waiver" from Cal Mtg. And when I asked Cal Mtg. what this waiver was about, Don Morey, said he did not know what Chet meant by a waiver.

Again, always discrepancies between the stories from Beedle and McGlew and Cal Mtg.

If you aren't confused now, you will be soon

FIGHT OR PAY: Voting day for the Kern Valley Healthcare District

Who you gonna call? Cal Mtg.

If there was one thing I would want to say on a day such as today, bright and beautiful outside, the birds singing and the politicians finally taking a breath, that we don't have a tough decision: we have a simple decision.

Fight or pay.

Can we as a valley come together against a state entity bigger and badder than our very own Kern Valley Healthcare District?

It's up to the voters today whether they will roll over on a hefty tax increase which includes the need for more money in the near future as CEO, Tim McGlew, said, "this is just giving us a head start."

The hospital administration will NOT fight Cal Mtg. because they risk their higher than average paying jobs.

That type of excuse is used a lot up here in this Lakeside community. I've had people thank me for the work I'm doing to try and bring the truth out of the hospital and give it back to the people. Then they tell me they can't say anything because they will lose a possible contract or a job or whatever tie that binds them.

Do it or don't it's up to the majority

Today you decide if you want to tax the valley: tomorrow we count the votes and move from there.

But either way there is a 22 year old debt, a board of directors too closely tied to the hospital, administrators giving out false information, that has to be dealt with.

I think it's funny that people think throwing money at something will make things better.

How about Mediacom?

Mediacom recieved 90 million in ARRA funds to run a fiber optic line up into this valley to give us high speed internet which is also desperately needed in rural areas. So far, we have not seen a ditch dug anywhere near our community.

ARRA monies are grants and low cost loans which came from the "Obama Stimulus" monies which are still available.

Could the hospital get those monies? Absolutely, and they were warned and told they had the chance, yet they instead, use the same method which began in 1988, "A community bailout."

We have tried, and when I say we, I mean Assemblywoman, Jean Fuller, KVHD board member, Kathryn Knight, to have a meeting last year with Cal Mtg. but it was quashed as the hospital CFO, Chet Beedle and then CEO, Rick Carter.

Late

I am always late, as I have many physical problems which keep me from being places on time, and the ability to finish projects in a timely manner.

I'm what they call disabled, not all my systems are working properly, therefore, I have illness.

Now, you tell me, what is the excuse of the hospital, when both McGlew and Beedle knew of funds available through ARRA, but neither knew had to write a grant or even bothered to pursue one. And ran off the person who would have helped for FREE or under contract.

Here's a letter from a person who offered to help the hospital write grants in 2008 and 2009. He tried very politely to urge the board and administrators to move quickly as there were billions of dollars available for many projects such as small rural hospital expansion.

FREE ER?
Yes, it was possible at one point to get "brick and mortar" monies to build this ER we suddenly need though the community wants other things first. A nice ER would be great. An urgent care wonderful.

But the hospital did not have the ability to simply get help to write a grant which could have brought in the new "telemedicine" we will discuss soon, as well as other Obama promotional money for equipment and upgrade.

There is, however, money left and that is the breathing room those of you who are sitting on the fence must consider before casting your vote.

I tried very hard to get this information to all of you prior to the election. It was sent to all your government representatives, but they have dodged their job description and run for cover. Or at least it seemed that way.

I hope that you understand more of the situation and don't be too tough if you vote for the measure, as the hospital has played some interesting games in trying to obtain the first of more tax money.

And the board of directors has no intention either of taking on such a task as NEGOTIATING rather than TAXING the district.

Have a good day and if you need information, why there's tons of it on this blog. Candidates for the KVHD board have statements and stories.

Thank you for voting.

From April 2009: 

Here is a summary of what we are wanting to pursue for the Kern Valley Healthcare Distinct to ensure we take full advantage of ARRA funding. As we discussed briefly, our plan is to pursue funding in three priority target areas for ARRA.

Infrastructure - We need an new ER facility, and in time will probably need a new acute care facility to meet seismic standards. We have also outgrown our rural health clinic. Furthermore, we have a debt with Cal Mortgage for previous construction of our long term care and related facilities that also benefit the acute care services. What we have in mind is preferably rolling new funding into one package with the existing debt to construct the new ER, acute care, and expanded or new clinic in a fashion that would position us to grow in response to increasing demand from the communities we serve and our recreation guests. The benefit in economic stimulus would be immediate creation of construction jobs, the multiplier effect, and renewed economic stimulus as we are better able to accommodate the tourism and recreation trade that is so vital to the economy of our mountain valley, not to mention population growth that would be accommodated with available healthcare services. As it is now, people from our many valley communities have to leave the area and go to already over taxed facilities and providers outside our valley for many of the speciality services that we could provide with appropriate infrastructure, plus the resources in the following.

Technology - As for all healthcare providers, we can improve quality, increase efficiency, and provide a more complete complement of services with the right technology. As a rural healthcare district, this technology can include telehealth and telemedicine, as well as diagnostic, patient care, medical records and administrative systems. Again, given technology is a priority under ARRA, and equipping new facilities with the best available technology can expand our effectiveness, help us attract new providers, and allow us to reach out to specialists that are not locally available, the investment in technology will provide near term and follow on longer term economic stimulus, adding to the impact of the infrastructure investments.

Primary Health Care Workforce Development Programs - In spite of the high quality of life and lower cost of living we offer, our area is not immune to the shortage of healthcare professionals. We struggle as do most other providers to maintain staffing patterns for practicing physicians, physicians assistants, nurse practitioners, and especially RNs, and LVNs. We have one new collaborative program with a college for LVNs that will be coming on line soon, and we have one provider who has taken the initiative to arrange for internships by nurse practitioners. We would like to team with educational institutions to expand and add to these programs, whether that is funding for actual programs, offsetting some of our costs, or providing scholarships. Keep in mind that we, in Kern County, are in a high unemployment area. California State Bakersfield, within commuting distance for our residents and included in our labor market for nurses, has an accelerated RN program. And Cerro Coso College right in our back yard, has an LVN program. In addition, we want to obtain ARRA funding, if available, to invest in our current staff, some of whom, especially CNAs will become nursing students and eventually graduates, and others who will need training in use of new technology, medical specialities, improved methods, such as continuous quality improvement, patient satisfaction, and customer service skills, all of which will increase our impact on community health and wellness, foster growth in our complement of services, and stimulate the economy as we increase the number of patients served. Closely tied into workforce development programs could be prevention and wellness initiatives, where while reaching out to the community for wellness education and prevention services we are also marketing the primary health care workforce development opportunities to potential nursing students. Workforce development can also include improving our internal infection control and health information technology literacy through staff development, thus addressing these priorities under ARRA.

We can break ground on infrastructure in the near term, as we have an architectural firm retained that has much of the design work done already. We can provide a time line once needed for a grant proposal. Can you advise us of needed timelines to make sure we are a player in the next round of infrastructure funding?

Does our idea of packaging funding for new construction with restructuring our existing debt make sense, and do you think we should also be talking with Cal Mortgage?

Is there anyone specifically in Sacramento who is the contact person, or responsible individual for coordinating ARRA funding, or is it the individual department or program heads e.g., for FQHC grants for community health centers?

You offered contacts, advice, and perhaps other resources, and we are all ears and very appreciative. I am eagerly awaiting hearing back from you, hope I did not provide more detail than you wanted, and cannot wait to get on with pursuing these opportunities. I met last week with our CFO/acting CEO, Chet Beedle, Dr. Robert Gross our Hospitalist and physician leader who serves as an elected voting member on the board, and one of our dedicated management team members, Tom Wright. We are all eager to move on this, as is our Board Chair Katherine Knight and other board members.

Could have done this, but this person's offer was declined, though there are still more dollars to be had, the current directors and administrators have not moved on this, though, McGlew said in an email that they would be.

So, I assume those who believe strongly in this administration's tax measure will be okay with the fact that they didn't have to pay in the first place?

Board of directors meeting, this Wed. Nov.3, 2010 at 5:30 PM in the cafeteria at the hospital.

If measure G fails or if it succeeds we should all be there, as the hospital still has to answer to possible negotiations with Cal Mtg. and it's fearful posture to try answers such as what were put forth by many people almost 2 years ago.

Election results in the morning....All the best"

Seek and Ye Shall Find: Tax OR Ye shall get the AX!

I arise in the morning torn
between a desire to improve the world
and a desire to enjoy the world.
This makes it hard to plan the day. E.B. White


From fire comes new growth

Right now there is smoke wafting up through the canyon, into the valley, where it is settling in all of our lungs. I have been a bit out of touch due to a few health issues, and wish all well, in Havila and Bodfish and have called friends in the area to make sure they are playing it safe with fire.

I don't know what they are calling it the "Canyon fire" as maybe fires should have names like hurricanes which are giving the gulf all it can handle already this year after the oil leaks and sinking ships.

Maybe we could call the canyon fire "Chet" or "Pam" or "Cathy," could be "Jerry" "Donald" too. I don't know, but I have little info on that situation, I'm still choking on the smoke coming from the Kern Valley Healthcare District.

It's a sad time for many people all over the world, and I have given my brother strict instructions to stay away from watching the TV news as it has no answers to give, only pictures of the pain repeated like a mantra. We need to have hope and faith to survive.

This has been one heck of a fire season up here in the Kern River Valley and I also know it can be quite unpredictable. We have to stay aware of our surroundings, leave nothing to chance, as it can suddenly come up on you from behind.

The fire though is under KVHD, as administrators have left no other options for themselves in the case of the new "property tax" bond measure which could lead to a financial default which in turn could lead the retiring of these bond selling administrators...by the very contract they signed us all up for in 1986, the original debt (No not Columbia House, though it's close, but Cal Mtg.)...

No, they don't have anything to lose, they have everything to lose including their jobs if they don't convince 2/3 of this community to pay for the past transgression which lead to our current predicament or I mean "construction project" or whatever they are saying now.

And this bond will not solve the problems for KVHD in the future, they will have to come to the voters of this valley again, for another round of money, as this is only the first bond. As the CEO said, "we're trying to get a head start," with what?

Since the meeting in August KVHD board meeting

After I witnessed the board of directors and the administrators basically put up a "roadblock" to other options than a property tax debt for the community for the next 30 years, I couldn't help but want to know why they chose the easy way out or actually the easy way to big money and fast.

This bond has been used as collateral or a lure, to obtain credit already, as they are pretty sure of themselves over there that they can get this community to saddle itself with almost the same amount of money which caused the problems in the first place, 22 years ago, 22 million dollars.

That would be true irony. (I will admit, I will laugh heartily if that happens as this is a Divine Comedy...)

There are other options no one has openly discussed and we will analyze them on and around November 2, election day.

Monday I will have a post to respond to the KV Sun "snowdown" with the questions and answers.

Here's an answer you may want to listen to:
It's an opinion: called "just build it"

http://www.tehachapinews.com/content/just-build-it/31485

Documents show KVHD knew of financial struggle: July 2010

As the buzz around the town has been about another cost to homeowners aside from a recent water rate increase, shocking electrical bills, a freeze on cost of living increases for those on fixed incomes, pension fund losses, propane, gasoline and food now comes another hand out: more property taxes to help the Kern Valley Healthcare District pay off the revenue bonds which cannot be bankrupted.

The KVHD administration has been talking about putting a general obligation bond on the ballot to pay off the debt, but what they haven't spoken about was they knew this was coming and waited for some now understood reason to act.

A GOB is not a new idea as you will see in the last document, it's been here many times before including Measure M in 2006.

Even Measure M as I mistakenly touted as completely necessary, was to be used to build an addition to the existing structure and utilize the depreciation to pay off what is called the "long term" debt.

The debt itself was a huge mistake on the part of possibly Goldman Sachs, but most assuredly on the hospital board of the time, which was 1985. Imagine this hospital putting out 22 million in bonds that can't be bankrupted and then they could not even finish the construction project this money was to be used for. The nursing center is half the size, so therefore, half the revenue projected.

Now they want 20 million from the community and they are somehow with less than the original debt, be able to pay off the first mistake and build a new ER and remodel an "imaging" center, which would be radiology.

But we have, according, to our CEO, Tim McGlew, and CFO, Chet Beedle no other options at this time.

Well, let's begin.

We knew a year ago January there were problems. I knew. But yet the person who is paid good money to keep this hospital functioning and safe, Beedle, for some odd reason didn't want to address the issue head on with our insurer.

After gathering support from KVHD chairwoman, Kathryn Knight, and Assemblywoman, Jean Fuller, to go to Cal Mtg. and simply ask what are our options, how can we solve these problems, can we defer payments, it was suddenly cancelled. (see email)

There was some bullying or as they like to call it here, politics, and nothing happened. No answers were given, no explanation provided.

Yet Beedle had 19 months to financially "manage" this hospital. Now the only solution that has been allowed to be discussed is the property taxes. A short message on bankruptcy was touched upon, and a parcel tax was considered, and there it ended: until now.

As I discussed in the previous blog (KVHD is not only hospital waivering) the problems with debt and spending are nothing new, but we heard some new excuses at the meeting which need to be addressed.

(click on documents to open, hit back button to close)

Millions of dollars have been lost out of the surgery department, salaries paid to a surgeon, nurses, and anesthetists, and what sorts of numbers do we see in this document: one, two and all the way up to five.

At the board meeting nobody, including the person in charge of the finances, CFO, Chet Beedle wanted to give a reasonable answer or explanation. They laughed basically and left it at that. (video coming soon)

Do you think those numbers are funny?

Look for yourselves.

Another issue came up regarding billings for co-payments from two years ago and financial manager, Beedle, answered by telling the community that by delaying their billings it was his effort to "help the community."

Old business is right, as you can see we have been talking about billing issues for a long time too, earlier than the document shows, I assure you.

But most know around town how bad the billing situation has been, they have been getting unknown bills. Accounts receivable is money you want to collect as soon as possible as people move or die or lose their jobs, and to say something as ludicrous as this was intentionally done to help the community only creates more of a rift between the hospital and it's voters for a bailout, AKA GOB.


And then there's the issue I'm still exploring as to why in January of 2009, the board knew there were serious problems, of course Beedle did too, but only one board member and one representative took the chance to try and address the problems that were already there. It was a meeting with the insurer of the large debt burden to try and find a way to stay afloat. (look under Cal Mtg. proposition)

If you're thinking right now that the insurer, Cal Mtg. in the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, should just pay our debt and that's it, then you need to understand that they don't do that. They are different. And we signed a wonderful contract binding the community's property to the debt.

There is no bankruptcy for the long term debt. Not that there couldn't be bargains, and negotiations by people who know how to do these things, not those who just say they can.

So we see clearly that decisions made with a board stamp, a consent agenda, have wrecked havoc on this district, and yet we are seeing nothing more than the same soup served up again and again for answers. It shows that time and care need to be taken especially at this particular time.

I would not be saying these things if there weren't sufficient evidence to "prove it" and the board had better prove it has been using due diligence when making decisions.

This new GOB has been thrown together like scrambled eggs and toast so far, much like they did in 2006, as the architectural plans were unfairly put forth on a "voting ballot" as usable. It turned out those plans were not even close to being able to come in within cost, but even more egregious, they were unusable and we paid good money to Aspen Street Architects for many years for nothing.


Final document, shows we have been here before, many times, but this is particularly interesting as this was during the time BRIM management who gave us both CFO Chet Beedle and former CEO, Pam Ott, that the insurer has on it's list of options, that GOB.

Now, here's the email I received saying there would be no meeting with the insurer as we don't have to do anything, and the board was looking into it. When has this board here and now, with one exception, Kay Knight, asked any hard questions about what we are doing?

They are our representatives in healthcare. They decided to run for the board. They took on the responsibility on their own accord.

All I have heard are parrots over there, and not people with time and effort to go through the process called, "due diligence."

(these emails were the end of the attempt to address a bad situation before it got worse to the point of a bail out, rather than upgrading services, arranging an urgent care, and looking at potential architectural plans. Look at the dates and times as Beedle, having been directly asked by chairwoman Kay Knight for a meeting, denies it in these emails below. It goes backwards, the time frame, so the initial statement is the cancellation. And note the board never did again address the problem. So what's the problem? )

This would not be a good time to vote on this proposal. We should allow it more time to accumulate more imput so the Board can give the decision an educated decision. Thank you for your input and your inspiration.
----- Original Message -----
From: Laura Hart
To: Beedle, Chet
Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2009 12:57 PM
Subject: Re: Cal Mtg Proposal
Hello Chet:

Once the board votes to go into negotiations with Cal Mtg. then the proposal from KVHD would then, it would seem, be discussed and be more specifically written.

At this point, Cal Mtg. needs to get their people together and begin the process at their end. They know basically what this hospital needs to succeed and survive. And they know we don't have it.

And they have known this for a long time. I remember three years ago the hospital was purchasing a PAC system, for 80K. It was reconditioned, but what ever came of it? Now we're just dipping our toes into a digital radiology system.

Where is the true plan for expansion? What will it cost to keep up?

Which makes me wonder again, about the agency itself. From what I've read they are there to help keep rural hospitals growing and properly serving their respective communities.

One doctor who is currently under indictment, said that the ER is antiquated and he can't get doctors or staff to work up here.

And because of the looming indictments hanging over the hospital, with potential lawsuits, there is a sense of urgency to get this matter handled.

I'm assuming again that you yourself realize this.

Other issues of note that bring about urgency and fair play in this matter would be the needs of the hospital itself. The technology that you need. The structural repairs and additions. But more importantly a new plan for the skilled nursing facility.

Not just a note to public: it smells good in there. Nice murals. That doesn't work when people have died under suspicious circumstances. And these people live in this community. And these people are not getting complete medical records.

And local employees are being ignored by the largest employer in the valley.

We apparently have a truck load of rental nurses coming from Alabama or somewhere because of the staffing issues.

We can do better than this can't we? Or do you think this is the epitome of success for this hospital? I'm just wondering at this point.

Politics being played at this juncture will not help this hospital, the people and the valley. We have a reality to face and we need to do it. This is about elected officials, oversight agencies, the administration, and the public doing a good job. It's about new viewpoints, new avenues, new ideas, and new people.

This board needs to move forward, vote on the negotiations from this end, and Assemblywoman Fuller will then by order of the board begin the inroads for negotiations with Cal Mtg.

Other representatives of this valley, this district, the state can and will be utilized as well.

We need to learn from our mistakes and not hide from them; make things better by getting a clean start; and acting responsibly by taking action to get this done.

This is the first step.

And one of your employees, wrote on the Kern Valley Sun blog, that if people don't like the hospital they can drive down the canyon bleeding.

Another remark involved tearing down the hospital and creating an urgent care. Take a look it's coming from your management.

Is that helping our cause?

As far as the paperwork, there needs to be distribution of this material. I agree it is probably a mountain, but somehow, wouldn't it be quicker to scan this material into the computer so that it is easily accessed, rather than repeatedly making copies which would cost more?

Tell me we at least have that technology; I do.

Thank you again for your attentiveness to this matter. Let me know how you can make these documents available.

Laura Hart




----- Original Message -----
From: Beedle, Chet
To: Laura Hart

Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2009 11:15 AM
Subject: RE: Cal Mtg Proposal
You are welcome for the response. I am not aware of any scheduled negotiations with Cal Mortgage. Relative to any current documents from Cal Mortgage, there are none since our last refinancing in 2003. Our original copy of that refinancing is in administration and Heidi can make you copies of the portion that you consider pertinent. The documents are very voluminous and it would help if you indicate to us those you consider necessary. We do not have these documents electronically, so they would have to be scanned or hard copies made.

-----Original Message-----

From: Laura Hart [mailto:hartofthekrv@msn.com]Sent: Monday, March 09, 2009 6:41 PM

To: Beedle, RE: Cal Mtg Proposal
Hello Chet:

Thank you for your response. I want to begin by saying the negotiations with Cal Mtg. will take place with what I understand, the board, yourself, Assemblywoman Fuller, and I have a private person in finance who will be overseeing the situation also.

All correspondence concerning these negotiations will go on to the Attorney General, Jerry Brown and Governor Schwarzenegger as well.

I will need all current documents regarding Cal mtg. and the most recent refinance for reference.

Copies will be sent to the other parties as well. You probably should email them to all of us involved.

xxxxx will be contacted shortly as to the intentions of following through on this proposal as well as adding other provisions as well as possible numbers which favor the hospital at this point.

They need to know they will not receive monies for at least two years. That's a definite. Our upgrades, with equipment, training, and construction will not allow for payments for at the very least two years. And any monies in the account deemed to go to Cal Mtg. will not at this point.

All the information I am receiving says we are on the side of doing what is appropriate with our bond and insurance situation.

Maybe the disparity between traveling nurses and community employees which is quite disproportionate at this point, can be rectified and mended with a new balance of monies.

I'm going to cc this letter to the board members so that they may stay in the loop on this matter.

As we both know there will be a serious cleansing process taking place to get the stains out of this district and upgrade the care and facility at the same time.

I repeat, thank you, for your support of this community. We need to hear more new voices and ideas from the valley itself.

God bless us, Chet, we need it.

Take care, Laura Hart

Oh what will we do, we don't have a crystal ball or do we?

We're off to see the wizard, the numbers wizard of KVHD...

(Update: Last year Beedle was asked if he knew what the projections were for the future. Now, I posted the projections and here we are now talking about the default, the misinformation, and Beedle's relationship with Cal Mtg.)

Our Kern Valley Healthcare District, CFO, Chet Beedle has told us many things as to the financial status of the hospital, the direction he thinks it needs to move in, and what the "secret" is to making money: volume.

I could have told you volume is the winner in every game for a nickel, but we let our financial manager prattle on each month about it for a salary that goes along with a free lodging, benefits and retirement. How nice for him.

But how not nice for the people who happen to be at the bottom half of the echelon, say those taking cuts in salary and benefits in the pharmacy. They are getting reamed because we don't know how to run a profitable or breaking even, pharmacy.

I don't want to hear anymore excuses about this matter, it's simply ridiculous.

We probably will never make hay out of the pharmacy, but that is not the point, I realized after mulling the situation over these past few days. The point is for a public healthcare district to serve its community.

We well may have to take a constant loss from the pharmacy and make it up somewhere else, just to make sure that the local, rural, community can be served.

Again, I will mention that the William Casey report from the year 2000 was used as an analytical tool to justify severing the pharmacy from its public.

Sad, very sad, Chet, that you would use that report in any fashion. But at least you did it overtly where I could see it. The CEO didn't know anything about it, but I do.

The math

So, again we have financial problems from a number of areas, but the biggest is not the THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS from the lazy charity patients who won't fill out the forms and apply for programs which will bring in money for the hospital: But the SEVENTEEN MILLION DOLLARS we owe on the bond.

And the TWO MILLION a year we pay on that, without including the payments to the mandatory reserve account.

Well there.

Even losing SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND from both the pharmacy and the bad debt, still comes under the TWO MILLION we pay on the bonds.

Taking that SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND and then adding the losses we have in the surgery department rounded off to ONE MILLION, still comes under what we have to pay on the revenue bonds.

What stood out to me

The first thing I thought when it was reported at last month's meeting that the CEO and CFO were going to do "face to face" departmental evaluations, was that the CFO, said they hadn't done this before.

He did say, that Controller, Barbara Figeuroa, would send out reports and calculators to them, but they didn't meet.

What kind of management, doesn't meet with it's department managers to go over financial/fiscal issues, such as projecting future needs, the state budget, new technology that maybe used to bring in volume, how much money needs to be spent to do things correctly, etc.: that's pretty basic.

Thus those statements are alarming.

Who knows better what their budget should look like than the department managers? I guess, Chet and Barbara, considering the way things have been run.

Human resources: the key to success

(I'll need another nickel for this title)

Through the doors walks a highly qualified Registered nurse, who has training in all sorts of new technologies, as well as years of experience, and he or she happens to be a pick of the litter. The person wanted to get away from the city life, and happened upon our small community.

If you're not trained in seeing what would be considered "highly qualified" employees, who can do their job, but also bring an added dimension with other training or personal qualities, you're going to lose this person at the front door of human resources.

You have to have a highly qualified human resources manager who has an understanding what the hospital needs, where the hospital is going (that actually falls under the category of talking to your department managers more often) and how to do your background research and interpret it.

I've seen some terrific employees come and go over the last four years, and it has been a complete waste of talent along with money.

I could name names, but obviously I'm not going to do that.

I will say that I understand the problems with the front door. I've heard people talk about it. I've been told about rude comments, harsh enforcement of policies, as well as, what I view as defamatory practices against certain employees.

You want a good staff? Then start with a good HR manager who knows how to bring in quality and lead by `example.

When problems fester, especially the ones regarding personality clashes, they can become a serious problem for an organization. If there is no one in HR who can handle such matters, then employees won't report the problems.

What happens when employees don't get satisfaction or some communication about the problems, you're going to have a person working at your hospital who deep down doesn't care about you or your business.

If the hospital is creating that kind of staff issue, that becomes a real problem, as it spoils the whole soup.

Again, back to the HR manager, who doesn't work well with people or understand what the needs of the employer are, then welcome the new employees aboard the Titanic, because unless this manager has skills, we're always going to be missing the mark.

(I had a business where I was ripped off by employees, lying about qualifications, and a couple even came to the job intoxicated. These were all terminated employees. But then there was the employees who wanted to be to work on time and leave on time, not much personality, but hard workers who got the job done. Maybe I wouldn't want them as friends, but I could count on their abilities to work hard and care about the quality of the work they do.)

Finally....what to do about this?

There are always opportunities for improvement, "The room for improvement is the largest room in the world," and we need to stay positive and get another look at the books.

And as I said, the pharmacy needs to stay open and function, which it can do. It's been proven in the past.

The employees need to get a break at the pharmacy about cutting their hours...maybe they have been nice about it, that doesn't mean I'm going to be.

I want to see Mr. Beedle take a pay cut and then explain why his small paycut could offset the employee hours.

(LOOK AGAIN) Cal Mtg. doesn't want to see this

Cal Mtg wanted Measure M too, not just this new GOB

Premature accusation from March of 2009 as I saw the financial collapse last year. This post has been on the blog for more than a year, but I put it there in anticipation of what is happening at the hospital now, default and deception. This is an interview I did when I was that popular reporter who wrote what the hospital wanted me to, as I recieved free healthcare and other benefits for my support.

Much like you see with the local newspaper the Kern Valley Sun, I too, wrote advertisement like articles which were totally bias to help the paper or the coporate owners make money. I'm as stupid as the current writers for the Sun, but then I woke up.

FLASH to 2006 when we were (me included) pushing the general obligation bond to the community.
Remember, Predatory lending is defined by a pattern of who benefits.

Dejavu, four years later we are back not with the excuse we have to seismically upgrade the building or close down: now they want us to pay off a 24 year old debt that should never have gone that far.

I'm tired, and I will try to get time tomorrow to reveal the rest of the interview and if necessary explain the obvious implications.

READ ON:

Interview with Gary Evans, Cal Mtg., regarding the Cal Mtg. program and what sort of help and relief the community can expect. Mr. Evans said this was "his opinion." This interview took place in November of 2006, right after the general obligation bond to build a new wing on the hospital, Measure M, failed.
This is a transcript from a digital recording.

Me: What is Cal Mtg.?

Gary Evans of Cal Mtg. : We are a division of OSHPD, but we are funded entirely from insurance premiums.

Why was this program created?
GE: There is a need throughout California for healthcare, private, non-profit, excuse me. Non-profit health facilities in California are unable to raise monies on their own, their own credit worthiness to build facilities so this was created to try to assist organizations to borrow money to build health facilities in needed areas.
(Aside: I can tell you that this "explanation" of what Cal Mtg. is NOT or does not even begin to describe the powers that be here. At the time of this interview I could only hear clicks, while now I'm immersed in the double talk, a translator of lies. They are a sinister presence building their portfolio and their record for not allowing bankruptcy against their almost unpenetrable facade.These people are big time, they are not afraid of some reporter type, your average gal about town. They tolerate me and probably poison my water. Oh that's right that's already being done.)

Is there any possibility they (KVHD) could go through you to do upgrading, the seismic retrofitting; or are they pretty much out of the game with the debt what it is?

GE: Their debt is, umm, significant for a hospital their size. And to add additional debt to be paid by revenues from the hospital would probably weaken the hospital. So, we would probably not be in a position to do that. I think the GOB (general obligation bond) is the only reasonable way that could happen.
(Of course a GOB would be great for everyone involved except the community. A community who has no say, gets no answers, is repeatedly lied to, thrown out of their jobs at the hospital for traveling staff, and is expected to pay the bill for all the mistakes? If the mistakes were gone, along with the mistake makers who are still here, then this community might step up and help with a bond. Until then, there's no amount of Public relations fluff that can bring back trust. Only truth elicits trust.)

Regarding, bankruptcy: 
 
GE: Well, any organization can petition a court to approve a reorganizational plan and in that plan it would be possible for the court to say , umm, its reasonable that you shouldn't have to pay this debt; you aren't able to pay this debt and it could be erased.
That's highly theoretical and the fact, the facts of the situation would be reviewed by the judge: is there organization paying the bills? Can they survive without going into that kind of reorganization? 

And my guess is that the attorney general's office of the state of California would fight pretty vigorously to oppose any type of reorganization at this point. 
(That was 2006 and this is now. KVHD is in trouble and it won't get better but worse. How would a judge look at the situation now? And how does it look to Cal Mtg now? KVHD currently enjoys some sort of pay off with Cal Mtg. with another recent loan transaction, probably costing the mental midget of math, Chet Beedle, CFO, a bundle but like the DOJ and the Dr. Pormir plead out to drugging people, calling it a legal "first"--of course making it all better fro the rest of us. We the people are so duped by this slick outfit, I can only appreciate their incredibly insignificant presence, yet oh so powerful. A great job putting this organized crime group together. Seriously. Kudos to the excellent deception. No bankruptcies would probably never occur as they might allow for "SCRUTINY.:" And we don't have any scrutiny.)
 Re: Legistlative relief such as was discussed with Senator Roy Ashburn.
 GE: It seems to be more of a hope than a reality. Its never been done before that I'm aware of and, um, I would guess, I guess the Senator's office would be a better place to answer that question.
I would be surprised if anything could be done that way.
(Everyone would be surprised. We have yet to see a politician really stand up for their promises, platforms and principles. It's the system called the popularity contest, not who is best qualified for the job, or who will stand up for what is right.)

Re: Payments on bond and management


GE: We are, we have insured their bond issue, so if they can't make payments on the bond issue, we then have to make the payments.
We are interested in maintaining appropriate management at the hospital. So, if they terminated management and hired somebody we felt was not qualified to run the hospital; we do have the authority to say no in that situation.

(Well, what kind of oversight was it on the part of Cal Mortgage when they allowed a CEO to come in with some phony credentials? Did they, like Dave Green, from Brim Management, actually see those credentials? So, then I see that there is culpability on the part of this government, insurance, monster. Since they hire people, and that person may not be qualified, and then that person does very bad things; I'd say it goes back to Cal Mtg.)