Concerns expressed to independent monitor

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  • Independent monitor
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SEARCH member Karin Rolett asks question to Gibbins Advisers’ Ron Winters Tuesday, Feb. 11, at a town hall meeting in Burnsville. (Brandon Roberts/MNJ)

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BURNSVILLE – More than 100 people gathered inside Burnsville Town Center Tuesday, Feb. 11, to ask questions and provide feedback to Ron Winters, principal at Gibbins Advisers, the healthcare advisory firm hired to act as the independent monitor to oversee the sale of Mission Health to the Hospital Corporation of America, or HCA.

Gibbins Advisors came to Burnsville to hear the public’s thoughts on HCA Healthcare’s record of service as it approaches the first anniversary of its $1.5 billion deal to acquire Mission Health.

The role of the independent monitor is to hear feedback, share that feedback, answer questions related to the scope of the independent monitor, whose purpose is to ensure the people of Western North Carolina continue to have access to high-quality healthcare and to hold HCA to certain commitments made after buying Mission Health.

Winters informed the crowd about how Gibbins Advisors will keep HCA accountable for complying with a long list of obligations agreed to as part of the sale. Gibbins was named independent monitor Oct. 31, 2019, by North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein. The town hall meeting in Burnsville was the last of seven hosted by the firm.

During the nearly two-hour session, questions about services, billing, lack of communication and staffing were some of the subjects touched on most often.

One question was how people are notified if HCA chooses to close a program. Another attendee said informing people about closing programs is unquestionably one of the top 10 things that should have been determined before the sale.

One attendee, who is battling stage four lung, brain and bone cancer, has stopped treatment because of billing issues.

“I’m not afraid to die,” he said. “But I don’t want to be driven nuts in the last few months I have left. I don’t care if they don’t want to offer financial assistance, but if they don’t, don’t tell us they do.”

The independent monitor, Gibbins Advisers, which is independent of HCA, advises the seller entity and the six local advisory boards about HCA’s compliance to its commitments to retain services and hospitals, invest in community health and well-being, invest in facilities and other obligations. Winters said he could not provide answers at the meeting, but a transcription of the town hall will be provided to HCA.

As part of the deal of the sale, HCA agreed to keep material facilities open for at least 10 years and continue specified services for 10 years, which at Blue Ridge Regional Hospital is emergency, surgical and acute medical services. HCS also agreed to allow the local advisory boards and Dogwood Health Trust to have the first right if hospitals are closed or sold, agreed to spend $232 million in general capital expenditures within five years, to provide $25 million over five years for an innovation/investment fund and to spend $750,000 per year for 10 years in community contributions.

Also, per the terms of the sale, HCA committed to continue certain community activities, services and programs for at least 12 months, maintain the uninsured and Charity Care policy for at least 10 years, participate in Medicare and Medicaid for at least 10 years and provide an annual compliance summary.

Visit independentmonitorMHS.com or email independentmonitor@gibbinsadvisors.com for more information.