For now, a victory at Grady

For now, a victory at Grady.

http://www.ajc.com/search/content/news/stories/2009/01/06/grady.html

But since the board decided to not take up the issue of cuts at the Monday meeting, it remains to be seen what will happen when they do talk about it.

If health care is an issue that you care about (and the vast majority of Americans do), visit

http://www.HealthCareforAmericaNOW.org

GRADY HEARING MONDAY

From Bert Skellie:

The Grady Coalition will meet at 3:30 PM Monday (1/5) at McDonald's at Grady to discuss our plans for the board meeting. Everyone is welcome.  Please do plan to come to the Board meeting on Monday (Jan. 5) at 4:30 PM at Grady on second floor at conference room B206 & speak against the proposal to cut free care.

You can also write or call CEO Young at
404.616.4252          
and
myoung@gmh.edu
to voice your opposition to cutting free care to those with income above 125% of the federal poverty level. 

We may have a press event just before the 4:30 Board meeting - I will let you know if so.Peace, Bert 404.378.5883

How to Act to Stop the Cuts at Grady

Bert Skellie of the Grady Coalition has sent this information on how to take action to stop the cuts:

"Please call or write CEO Young & Chair Pete Correll to urge them not to cut patients with incomes up to 250% of poverty from the rolls of Grady free care.

. . .

We plan to provide more details later on who else to contact & other addresses, but meanwhile you can call CEO Young's office at Grady at 404-616-4252 , and you can also leave a message for Pete Correll, Chair of Grady Board at the same number. Also, you can send a letter to either or both of them c/o Grady Health System, 80 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive, SE, Atlanta, GA 30303. You can also send an email to CEO Young at myoung@gmh.edu.

Here's the text of an email I have just sent over. Please send your own letter or email by adding your own personal information at the beginning & putting in your own words concerns you have about the 250 – 125 cut.

'Greetings Mr. Young,

I am writing to urge you not to remove patients with incomes of up to 250% of poverty from the rolls of free care at Grady. As a resident of DeKalb County for most of my life, I appreciate Grady's crucial role as the safety net hospital for our area. I have had experience with Grady's good care of my son after an accident several years ago, and I have many friends who depend on Grady for their lives.

Thank you for referring the Grady Coalition to Mr. Ayers, who gave some of us a presentation on the proposal to change financial requirements for Grady patients.

I'm writing to urge you not to lower the free care income limits for Fulton and DeKalb patients from 250% to 125% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. I am concerned that most savings, if any, from this change, will come at the expense of the health and lives of patients who will be affected. Since many patients will understand that they must pay to get service, I believe thousands below this level of income ($26,000 for a single individual) will suffer, and some will die rather than seek the primary care they need.

Please do not make this dangerous change.'

Thanks for your help. Please circulate this email widely. A vote on this proposal is likely to be made at the January 5, 2009, Grady Corporation Board meeting."

Press Conference to oppose Cuts at Privatized Grady Hospital

The Grady Coalition held a press conference in front of Grady Hospital today to protest proposed cuts in service. As many of the speakers stated, if the cuts go through, "PEOPLE WILL DIE."

A statement from the Grady Coalition is below. And following that are two of the 19 video clips from the Press Conference. To view all of them, go to www.youtube.com/GRUSvideos.

And stay tuned to Georgia Rural Urban Summit to find out how to get involved in STOPPING THESE CUTS.

"We have been informed by Michael Ayers, Grady CFO, that he plans to bring to the new Grady Board [the Grady Memorial Hospital Corporation] on January 5 a proposal to stop providing free care to large numbers of Grady paients [sic]. At present, Grady provides free care to patients with income up to 250% of the federal poverty guidlines [sic] (fpg), or up to $26,000 annually for a single person. Under the proposed rule, Grady will provide free care only to those earning under 125% of fpg, or $13,000 for a single person. Patients in Fulton & DeKalb from 126% - 250% will be required to pay 40% of the cost of services. Mr. Ayers did not tell us how many patients will be affected, but we believe it will be in the thousands."