Os Sequester and ZEROcare Strike Again!!!

[Obamanation]

Today, I recieved this email from the administrator of my hospital. It's a long read but it kept my attention!!

Good Afternoon;

With the opportunities we have each day to impact the lives of so many people, I am certain each of us appreciates how much it means to our patients and their families that so many great people chose to make *********** Medical Center the place they apply their professional skills and compassion. Our hospital has so much to offer, in part because we have invested in services and technology -- but more importantly, because we have such great people delivering the care. The importance of our work together cannot be overstated.

With this in mind, I was deeply disappointed our nation’s elected officials failed to achieve a budget agreement on this year's spending plan in Washington. Rather than passing a responsible budget, they instead chose to do nothing, with the result being the imposition of what is now known as the "sequestration".

Sequestration is an automatic budget-cutting mechanism that went into effect April 1 due to the failure to pass a budget. Among the many cuts to discretionary spending, sequestration also includes more than $11 billion in cuts to health care providers through the Medicare program in the year 2013. Absent Congressional action, which we hope will come before the next fiscal year that begins October 1, the sequestration will continue through 2022, with the Medicare cuts growing to $16 billion a year.

It is important to note that sequestration cuts are happening in addition to the provider cuts that are occurring due to the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. These cuts are intended to help reach a reduction in the Medicare spending of $716 billion over the next 10 years.

As a result of sequestration and the cuts related to the Affordable Care Act, hospitals across the nation are being forced to adjust their cost structures. In fact, according to a joint study released by the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association and the American Nursing Association, it is estimated that sequestration alone will lead to more than 212,000 direct job losses in the health care industry during the period of sequestration.

As a leader of our hospital family, it is my hope to avoid job losses to the extent possible. As you know, it has been our objective to be efficient and to provide the highest quality of care, and that objective remains. In order to accommodate the further cuts from sequestration, we are taking some steps that I feel are necessary to avoid more difficult reductions. We are implementing the following three initiatives, which impact all of us, including myself:

1. All merit increases will be considered in January rather than September, 2013.
2. Accruals for vacation will cease until October 1, 2013. You may certainly use your accrued vacation time, but effective immediately and through September 30, there will be no additional vacation accruals. Accruals will resume October 1. Associates who have a planned vacation and do not have enough hours banked will be allowed to have a negative balance of 24 hours.


In addition, we are making the following change to our vacation policy:

Associates are encouraged to utilize their accrued vacation time to achieve an appropriate work/life balance. Effective, January 1, 2014, Associates may accumulate up to 100% of their annual vacation time amount by combining current accruals with unused accruals from prior years. One hundred percent (100%) of the annual vacation accrual is the maximum number of hours that may be banked.

For the period between June 1, 2013-December 31, 2013, Associates will be given the opportunity to decrease their current vacation balance to an amount equal to one-half of their annual accrual rate. Associates may decrease their time by taking vacation or by participating in the vacation buy-back program, which will be extended through June 15th.

3. Earlier this year, we had made the decision to increase your 401-K match by 1/2%. With the changing circumstances, we must reconsider this additional cost. That said, you will continue to receive the current 1% match for your retirement.

I truly regret these steps must be taken, but I also believe it is preferable to reducing our workforce. Certainly, if the situation in Washington changes, we will adjust accordingly.

Our company's Government Relations function has been working with hospital associations and other provider partners to educate members of Congress and our state legislature on the impact of these decisions on our industry. It is our plan to let you know when and how you might be able to help communicate with our representatives. Many of you already have done so, and we encourage you to continue. Our legislators and representatives do need to hear from us, because we are all impacted by these decisions.

I will be rounding over the next few days to answer any questions you might have. I am truly grateful for your hard work and commitment to our patients, and I pledge to work side by side with you as we get through this difficult time.

 

[Obamanation]

Today, I recieved this email from the administrator of my hospital. It's a long read but it kept my attention!!

Good Afternoon;

With the opportunities we have each day to impact the lives of so many people, I am certain each of us appreciates how much it means to our patients and their families that so many great people chose to make *********** Medical Center the place they apply their professional skills and compassion. Our hospital has so much to offer, in part because we have invested in services and technology -- but more importantly, because we have such great people delivering the care. The importance of our work together cannot be overstated.

With this in mind, I was deeply disappointed our nation’s elected officials failed to achieve a budget agreement on this year's spending plan in Washington. Rather than passing a responsible budget, they instead chose to do nothing, with the result being the imposition of what is now known as the "sequestration".

Sequestration is an automatic budget-cutting mechanism that went into effect April 1 due to the failure to pass a budget. Among the many cuts to discretionary spending, sequestration also includes more than $11 billion in cuts to health care providers through the Medicare program in the year 2013. Absent Congressional action, which we hope will come before the next fiscal year that begins October 1, the sequestration will continue through 2022, with the Medicare cuts growing to $16 billion a year.

It is important to note that sequestration cuts are happening in addition to the provider cuts that are occurring due to the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. These cuts are intended to help reach a reduction in the Medicare spending of $716 billion over the next 10 years.

As a result of sequestration and the cuts related to the Affordable Care Act, hospitals across the nation are being forced to adjust their cost structures. In fact, according to a joint study released by the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association and the American Nursing Association, it is estimated that sequestration alone will lead to more than 212,000 direct job losses in the health care industry during the period of sequestration.

As a leader of our hospital family, it is my hope to avoid job losses to the extent possible. As you know, it has been our objective to be efficient and to provide the highest quality of care, and that objective remains. In order to accommodate the further cuts from sequestration, we are taking some steps that I feel are necessary to avoid more difficult reductions. We are implementing the following three initiatives, which impact all of us, including myself:

1. All merit increases will be considered in January rather than September, 2013.
2. Accruals for vacation will cease until October 1, 2013. You may certainly use your accrued vacation time, but effective immediately and through September 30, there will be no additional vacation accruals. Accruals will resume October 1. Associates who have a planned vacation and do not have enough hours banked will be allowed to have a negative balance of 24 hours.


In addition, we are making the following change to our vacation policy:

Associates are encouraged to utilize their accrued vacation time to achieve an appropriate work/life balance. Effective, January 1, 2014, Associates may accumulate up to 100% of their annual vacation time amount by combining current accruals with unused accruals from prior years. One hundred percent (100%) of the annual vacation accrual is the maximum number of hours that may be banked.

For the period between June 1, 2013-December 31, 2013, Associates will be given the opportunity to decrease their current vacation balance to an amount equal to one-half of their annual accrual rate. Associates may decrease their time by taking vacation or by participating in the vacation buy-back program, which will be extended through June 15th.

3. Earlier this year, we had made the decision to increase your 401-K match by 1/2%. With the changing circumstances, we must reconsider this additional cost. That said, you will continue to receive the current 1% match for your retirement.

I truly regret these steps must be taken, but I also believe it is preferable to reducing our workforce. Certainly, if the situation in Washington changes, we will adjust accordingly.

Our company's Government Relations function has been working with hospital associations and other provider partners to educate members of Congress and our state legislature on the impact of these decisions on our industry. It is our plan to let you know when and how you might be able to help communicate with our representatives. Many of you already have done so, and we encourage you to continue. Our legislators and representatives do need to hear from us, because we are all impacted by these decisions.

I will be rounding over the next few days to answer any questions you might have. I am truly grateful for your hard work and commitment to our patients, and I pledge to work side by side with you as we get through this difficult time.

212,000 direct job losses in the health care industry

 

[Katzndogz]

As we get through this difficult time means hanging on until the democrats are gone.

 

[Interpol]

Almost all of the cuts in terms of money that was going to hospitals and Medicare were proposed by Paul Ryan in his very own budget, so I'm not sure what the freak out is all about.

The President signed common sense measures that save the country money when it comes to health care.

In terms of the projected job losses, some of them are due to inefficiencies in the healthcare system, like manual records. With electronic records and other technologies coming into play, that brings down costs because it makes certain jobs obsolete. That's simply a part of how the free market works, in case the righties on here have forgotten about that.

Where else are there inefficiencies? Excessive procedures and tests in order for some healthcare providers to bilk the government of lots of money. Part of the reason for the excise tax on the real expensive plans offered by employers was to discourage some of that waste that was going on. That's more savings and fewer jobs because of it.

The problem with Republicans on this issue is that they've allowed the President to take credit for all the things he passed that originated from conservatives first, like the healthcare exchanges that take effect in January, and which are already showing a continuing slowing in the growth of premium rates in many states.

Their other problem is that they borrow faulty studies published by know-nothing right-wing bloggers who just make shit up. The healthcare industry in America continues to grow. It kept creating jobs all through the last decade, and it will continue to create jobs, particularly with millions of additional customers paying into the system next year.

The rate of healthcare spending in America has slowed at a greater rate the last 3 years than at any time since 1960 when the country began recording it.

That means Obamacare is actually working. Is it perfect? Nope. But is it an improvement over what we had before it? Yes. I'm glad we don't live in those days any longer. Too much waste, too much fraud, not enough focus, and premiums going up faster than at any other time in our history until this was passed.

 

[OKTexas]

From what I remember the sequester only effected discretionary and defense spending, not entitlements, so it would have had no cuts to medicare in it. Sounds like commie propaganda to me.

 

[Obamanation]

Almost all of the cuts in terms of money that was going to hospitals and Medicare were proposed by Paul Ryan in his very own budget, so I'm not sure what the freak out is all about.

The President signed common sense measures that save the country money when it comes to health care.

In terms of the projected job losses, some of them are due to inefficiencies in the healthcare system, like manual records. With electronic records and other technologies coming into play, that brings down costs because it makes certain jobs obsolete. That's simply a part of how the free market works, in case the righties on here have forgotten about that.

Where else are there inefficiencies? Excessive procedures and tests in order for some healthcare providers to bilk the government of lots of money. Part of the reason for the excise tax on the real expensive plans offered by employers was to discourage some of that waste that was going on. That's more savings and fewer jobs because of it.

The problem with Republicans on this issue is that they've allowed the President to take credit for all the things he passed that originated from conservatives first, like the healthcare exchanges that take effect in January, and which are already showing a continuing slowing in the growth of premium rates in many states.

Their other problem is that they borrow faulty studies published by know-nothing right-wing bloggers who just make shit up. The healthcare industry in America continues to grow. It kept creating jobs all through the last decade, and it will continue to create jobs, particularly with millions of additional customers paying into the system next year.

The rate of healthcare spending in America has slowed at a greater rate the last 3 years than at any time since 1960 when the country began recording it.

That means Obamacare is actually working. Is it perfect? Nope. But is it an improvement over what we had before it? Yes. I'm glad we don't live in those days any longer. Too much waste, too much fraud, not enough focus, and premiums going up faster than at any other time in our history until this was passed.

WOW! You should get a job working for the Obama Admin. Not one thing you state there has any base in fact, nor does it address ANY of the issues in the letter...

OKTexas - Calling this post propaganda is generous.

Meanwhile, I'm out vacation accrual for a half year minimum and seeing a vague promise that some of us will be losing our jobs. Guaranteed to not see a raise this year and ZEROcare (the death of FREE MARKET medicine) is still 7 months away.

I sure can't wait to see the looming changes once this disaster hits full-blown! For a guy who claimed the protecting middle class was his focus ZERO sure seems to be attacking us on every front.

Cost of my healthcare was up over 20% this year even though coverage have been reduced significantly. Copays have all gone up. This is 3 years in a row we have seen a minimum of 15% increases in in personal contributions to our healthcare with coverage decreasing.

Obama's policies are costing me an extra $2700.00 this year --- if no other changes are made. Thanks for looking out for the middle class O!!!