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Rep. Chris Welch: “Gov. Pritzker let us down”

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Illinois

* WGN…

A suburban hospital’s closing was approved by a unanimous vote by the state review board.

The Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board voted 7 to 0 in favor of Westlake Hospital’s closure on Tuesday.

* ABC 7…

Last week, a judge let a temporary restraining order stand against Pipeline Health that prevented the 230-bed hospital in Melrose Park from closing.

The new hospital owners are accused of promising to keep the hospital open for two years, then after purchasing it, quickly moved to sell it.

Community outrage prompted the village of Melrose Park to file a lawsuit accusing Pipeline of acquiring the hospital under false pretenses. Several elected officials are now calling on the Illinois attorney general to get involved.

* Crain’s…

Though the board voted 4-3 to defer the matter until all related litigation is complete, five votes are needed to achieve a majority. The board is comprised of nine voting members; however, one member is absent and one seat is vacant.

Board members Deanna Demuzio, Barbara Hemme, Marianne Eterno Murphy and Ronald McNeil all voted to defer the matter. Two of the three members who voted not to defer, citing the need for “health care transformation,” were recently appointed to the board by Gov. J.B. Pritzker: Julie Hamos and Michael Gelder. John McGlasson also voted in favor of hearing Pipeline’s application today.

Following the decision, Democratic state Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch of Westchester, who is also a member of Westlake’s board of trustees, said: “Gov. Pritzker let us down. We went to bat for him, and his appointees went to bat for billionaires from California.”

* Tribune…

Board member Julie Hamos said Tuesday that losing hospitals is tough for communities, but she expects to see more hospitals closing in coming years as advances in medicine make inpatient care less necessary.

“We are really on the cusp of a very significant change in our health care system,” said Hamos, who was recently appointed to the board by Gov. J.B. Pritzker and is a former lawmaker. She said deferring the application would simply have shifted a decision on the matter to the courts.

* NBC 5…

Melrose Park Mayor Ron Serpico said the village will continue to fight the hospital’s planned closure.

“It’s a shame that the Health Facilities Review Board couldn’t find the courage to do the right thing for the most vulnerable people,” Serpico said in a statement. “It’s also puzzling that the board would so flagrantly disregard their own rules. As a result of their action we are calling today on Attorney General Kwame Raoul to investigate the Health Facilities Services and Review Board decision to approve Pipeline Health’s fraudulent purchase and closing of Westlake Hospital. Was there a nod and a wink between Pipeline and members of the Health Facilities Review Board? We call on the Attorney General to get to the bottom of this scandalous action.”

Discuss.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, May 1, 19 @ 11:28 am

Comments

==Was there a nod and a wink between Pipeline and members of the Health Facilities Review Board?==

Ron Serpico built his empire on a nod and a wink.

Comment by City Zen Wednesday, May 1, 19 @ 11:46 am
Pritzker inherited Rauner’s skill at trampling on the local interests lawmakers of this own party. This is gonna leave a mark.

JB, go ask Welch for a vote now, big guy.

Comment by King Louis XVI Wednesday, May 1, 19 @ 11:47 am
Here’s Pipeline Health’s credo on top of their web page —

“We aim to be the most trusted community-based healthcare network by providing world-class patient care and expertise, no matter where you are.”

Comment by Wylie Coyote Wednesday, May 1, 19 @ 11:49 am
This has to be the first time a Melrose Park official asked law enforcement to get to the bottom of anything.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, May 1, 19 @ 11:50 am
I’m not sure Mayor Serpico wants law enforcement sniffing around. They might start wondering how he got the village to pay for that Jaguar he drives.

Comment by lolillinois Wednesday, May 1, 19 @ 11:56 am
==The Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board voted 7 to 0 in favor of Westlake Hospital’s closure on Tuesday.==

While the move to delay was split, the final decision was not. I certainly understand community frustration with the decision, but there does not appear to be much question among the variety of Board members. Pritzger’s appointees could not have tipped the final decision.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Wednesday, May 1, 19 @ 12:02 pm
It would seem patient outcomes might be important here too. I’ve not known Westlake to be a “destinaation” hospital for a long time. On the contrary, people who can avoid this hospital for another one, have done so.

Comment by A guy Wednesday, May 1, 19 @ 12:07 pm
There have been complaints about Pritzger keeping Rauner folks around. There have been complaints about Pritzger hiring Republicans. There have been complaints about Pritzger appointing unqualified people for state police, insurance, icc, DCEO and other roles. There have been complaints about Pritzker hiring unqualified people with no government or Illinois experience for senior roles in his office. There have been complaints about Dan Hynes hiring his cronies while people who worked on the campaign were ignored. I can ignore all of that, but Michael Gelder? Hard to forgive that. If he and Hamos have not been confirmed yet the senate should vote them down for this betrayal to the poor and underserved in Illinois.

Comment by Gelder Wednesday, May 1, 19 @ 12:08 pm
==losing hospitals is tough for communities==

There is another hospital in Melrose Park less than 2 miles from Westlake.

Comment by City Zen Wednesday, May 1, 19 @ 12:14 pm
“Gov Pritzker let us down”
Get used to it Illinois.

Comment by Flat Bed Ford Wednesday, May 1, 19 @ 12:20 pm
The guy from Pipeline said Westlake was 70% empty on a regular basis. If that’s true, I have a hard time not agreeing it’s time to close it. I’m sure that will be incredibly disrupting to the community, change always is. It happens anyway.

Comment by Perrid Wednesday, May 1, 19 @ 12:20 pm
==There is another hospital in Melrose Park less than 2 miles from Westlake. ==

I wasn’t around when they were built, but I never understood how so many hospitals are so close together.

Westlake to Gottlieb 1.5 miles
to Loyola 3.2
to Oak Park 3.5
to West Sub 3.9
to old Elmhurst location 4.5

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 1, 19 @ 12:28 pm
As this has played out in the news over the past few weeks I have wondered who would even want to go to a hospital that was forced to stay open when it so obviously wanted to close.

Comment by Responsa Wednesday, May 1, 19 @ 12:32 pm
===how so many hospitals are so close together===

1) Lots of people live in that area.

2) The two Springfield hospitals are just a few blocks from each other.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, May 1, 19 @ 12:32 pm
–JB, go ask Welch for a vote now, big guy.–

LOL, be sure to keep a close watch and count up the number of times Welch takes a walk from the Pritzker agenda.

The locals are obligated to bang the drum on this issue. It doesn’t mean they had any real expectation of prevailing or that it’s a deal-breaker going forward.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, May 1, 19 @ 12:38 pm
On closing the hospital, the health board didn’t really have a say to deny the application. They could have on the deferral, but they didn’t.

That was surprising, since the new hospital owners said they would keep it open and apparently lied about that. If they lied under perjury risk, and there is proof of that lie, the board should have deferred until a court can sort it out.

Its not really about if closing the hospital is good & bad, just whether the executives lied and should be charged with fraud.

Comment by Red Skeptic Wednesday, May 1, 19 @ 12:44 pm
Wait, how is John McGlasson still on a board? I’d feel like even some Republicans would be ok with him being replaced in a democratic administration

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 1, 19 @ 1:03 pm
So the state allows this poor hospital to close and another hospital that gets state money for Medicaid pays it’s CEO more than $11 M a year ?

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/health-care/hospital-ceos-get-big-raises-despite-pressure-control-health-care-costs

Comment by Ho$pital$ Wednesday, May 1, 19 @ 1:04 pm
The funny/ironic thing about this is that, under Illinois law, it has never been that hard to get approval to close a hospital. But what little difficulty there was was eliminated a few years ago in a bill drafted by the Hospital Association and, wait for it, supported by Rep. Welch. The bill made the decision by the HFSR Board all but ministerial, as long as the proper paperwork was filed.

All the screaming and shouting is pandering to the locals - the Mayor of Chicago Heights did the same thing when St. James was up for closure, with the same outcome. The ‘two year promise’ everyone keeps talking about is in the regulations of the Board, but they are not a commitment to run an empty hospital. If circumstances change, the rules allow applicants to come back to seek approval which, under the revised law, is nearly automatic.

Maybe legislators should actually read the bills rather than just looking at the letterhead of who is making the donations.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 1, 19 @ 1:09 pm
There are a lot of hospitals on or close to the 290, both there in the Western Suburbs and around the Illinois Medical District. It makes sense.

Edward Hines and Jesse Brown VA hospitals are also just off the 290.

Mayor Serpico and Rep Welch are mad because of the loss of hospital beds and the loss of jobs. The closure also came as a surprise to them.

Comment by Fax Machine Wednesday, May 1, 19 @ 1:49 pm
- Ho$pital$ - Wednesday, May 1, 19 @ 1:04 pm:

So the state allows this poor hospital to close and another hospital that gets state money for Medicaid pays it’s CEO more than $11 M a year ?

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/health-care/hospital-ceos-get-big-raises-despite-pressure-control-health-care-costs

Thanks. Good info that receives far too little attention.

Comment by Nonbeleiver Wednesday, May 1, 19 @ 2:43 pm
==Mayor Serpico and Rep Welch are mad because of the loss of hospital beds and the loss of jobs.==

Can’t say that I blame them. That property is a giant albatross around Serpico’s neck. It’s in a no man’s land zoning-wise. Maybe convert to senior/affordable housing?

Comment by City Zen Wednesday, May 1, 19 @ 3:38 pm