Deal is struck on help for TGH

Hillsborough officials and legislators reach a compromise. Now, they have to bring along the County Commission.

By LUCY MORGAN and DAVID KARP

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 12, 2000

TALLAHASSEE -- Over cold cuts in the basement of the Capitol, state legislators and Hillsborough County officials on Tuesday finally reached an understanding over funding Tampa General Hospital.

County Commission Chairwoman Pat Frank told legislators the commission would vote to give the financially strapped hospital $3.5-million in local tax money and also pass a lien law, something commissioners have refused to pass for two years.

Around the table, said state Sen. Tom Lee, R-Brandon, jaws dropped.

"That was a very pleasant surprise," Lee said later. "We clearly have made more progress in two weeks than has been made in the last two years."

With Frank's appearance, legislators said they won't force the county to give the hospital $6-million from a $106-million reserve fund set aside for the county's health care program for the poor. Before Tuesday's meeting, Lee had sponsored legislation forcing the commission to take $6-million from the reserve fund.

"We've come a long way," said state Rep. Sandy Murman, R-Tampa. "I feel very good about it."

But the good feelings will depend on what the commission does at a public hearing tonight.

For the deal to work, the commission would have to back off on the conditions it set Friday on giving Tampa General the money. One of those conditions required the hospital to let commissioners appoint two people to the hospital's 14-member board.

Frank said Tuesday that the county and hospital would hammer out those conditions. "All of that would be part of negotiating," Frank said. "The accountability . . . I think is the important thing."

Tampa General's leaders also agreed to give the commission a three-year business plan, which would show how the private hospital planned to use public money.

"If we can invest money in Tampa General and keep it afloat and ensure the money is spent wisely, that is the best thing for the community," Frank said.

Hospital spokesman John Dunn said Tuesday that Tampa General would work with the commission. It doesn't have much choice. Without more funds, the hospital will violate by October an agreement with its New York-based bond insurer that would require it to call in a consultant, who would probably order drastic cuts in services.

"We agree with the concept of public accountability for public funds," Dunn said. "With that as a basis, I think we can work out some agreeable solutions."

But some commissioners may not be flexible on the terms. Commissioner Jan Platt said she would insist that the commission appoint two people to Tampa General's private board, making the meetings public under Florida's open government laws.

"Some of (the terms) are non-negotiable, in my opinion," Platt said.

The commission also agreed to pass a lien law, which would give hospitals special power to collect insurance settlements won by patients who don't pay their bills. Until now, the commission has argued that the lien law gives hospitals too much clout over poor patients and too much money to trial lawyers.

But Frank said Tuesday that the commission would fix the lien's problems by requiring every hospital to sign a contract limiting how they use liens.

County Attorney Emmy Acton gave Frank her assurance the county could change the lien law through contracts, Frank said. Acton did not return a phone call for comment.

The commission's plan to fund Tampa General postpones some of the tougher, long-term questions about the hospital's future.

"The most important thing is for us to leave here on the fifth of May making sure that Tampa General is not in default," Lee said.

This summer, the Legislature can consider setting up a regional health care authority or some other model to help teaching hospitals such as Tampa General become financially sound.

"Since we have a long-term problem, I think we will have long-term cooperation from the hospital," Lee said.

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