Solaris: Muhlenberg Home Care to continue

In a quarter-page ad in the Union County section of today's Ledger, Solaris states that Muhlenberg's Home Care Program will continue despite the hospital's expected closure.

The ad quotes Ellen Gusick, director of the program, as saying "the Home Care Program will continue uninterrupted, delivering the exceptional service the community has been accustomed to."

The program's RNs, physical, occupational and speech therapists, dieticians, home health aides and social workers assist in the recovery at home of patients of all ages in the Muhlenberg service area.

Info: (908) 668-2253.

Olive Lynch: Charity care as a tax writeoff?

'Buy Muhlenberg' organizer Olive Lymch is recommending an online article at Reason magazine's website.

Entitled "How Hospital Costs Ran Amok", it details how uncollected charity care costs can be used as tax deductions on hospitals' other income.

It is an interesting article, from a libertarian point of view; however, it does not make clear if the tactic applies to NONPROFIT community hospitals, of which Muhlenberg and JFK are examples.

Read more here: http://reason.com/news/show/127821.html

Muhlenberg: Gostel's missing OpEd, and missing Courier editorial

The Courier finally caught up later in the day Sunday and put up the 'Speaking Out' piece by Muhlenberg activist John Gostel of Edison (Voice needed to support Muhlenberg) and the editorial critiquing the plan to monitor Solaris' compliance with the terms of the closure (Give city more control of closure aftermath). Better late than never, as they say.

Read more here:

• John Gostel: "Voices, loud and clear, needed to support Muhlenberg"
• Editorial: "Give city more control of closure aftermath"

And yesterday's big piece on urban hospitals here: "N.J. urban hospitals 'unsupportable'".

Courier: NJ's urban hospitals 'unsupportable'

Plainfielders and other supporters of Muhlenberg may well rankle at the statement in today's front-page Courier story on urban hospitals that

Solaris [is] the nonprofit company that oversees Muhlenberg and its parent hospital, JFK Medical Center in Edison (emphasis added).

However you feel about that representation of the facts, you will want to read the story.

Unfortunately, you will have to get a dead-tree version of the paper for a 'Speaking Out' piece by Muhlenberg activist John Postel of Edison (Voice needed to support Muhlenberg) and the editorial critiquing the plan to monitor Solaris' compliance with the terms of the closure (Give city more control of closure aftermath). Read the online story here: "N.J. urban hospitals 'unsupportable'".

Record-Press: Howard challenged over cancelling Muhlenberg license

This week's Record-Press online features a story on the Muhlenberg closure highlighting POP attorney Zurofsky's challenge to Commissioner Howard on not granting active status for the Muhlenberg license for a period of time as recommended by the State Health Advisory Board.

Read more here: "Muhlenberg slated to close August 13".

Letter: Absent Plainfield officials hurt Muhlenberg fight

Muhlenberg volunteer and 'Save Muhlenberg' activist Jane Fargo has a tightly argued letter in today's Courier that indicts the administration of Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs for not having done more to rally the surrounding communities against the closure, and for failing to step up to the plate to assist legal moves to forestall the closing.

Read more here: "Absent public officials hurt Muhlenberg fight".

State gives St. Michael's the deal Muhlenberg needed

While Muhlenberg is being closed down, the state will lend Catholic Healthcare East $253M in taxpayer-funded bonds to keep Newark's St. Michael's Hospital open. This is the kind of deal Muhlenberg needed, but did not get. Was that because Solaris didn't want it or that Assemblyman Green was powerless to get it?

According to the Ledger's continuous news desk story, the money will be used to 'erase debt, replace outmoded equipment, and expand facilities'.

All that Muhlenberg needs is help with its charity care obligation, which, by state law, it cannot sidestep.

The print edition of the Ledger this AM includes even more details --

The loan will erase debt, replace outmoded equipment and expand facilities. It helps cement Saint Michael's future when half of New Jersey hospitals operate in the red. Seven hospitals have closed since 2007, and an eighth -- Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center in Plainfield -- will shut on Aug. 13.

"Given that the city of Newark faced catastrophic closure of three hospitals, this investment maintained access to care for the residents of the community," said Donna Leusner, spokeswoman for the state Department of Health.

But the Corzine administration's decision to go into debt to bail out Saint Michael's revived criticism that the state cannot control its spending.

"Further debt without voter approval concerns me, to the extent the state is on the hook," said Sen. Leonard Lance (R-Hunterdon), an outspoken critic of state borrowing.

The bond deal was assembled by the New Jersey Health Care Facilities Financing Authority, and the state treasurer and health commissioner approved the bond sale.

State taxpayers will pick up $8.8 million next year to begin paying back the loan. The state would pay $16.5 million a year from 2010 to 2013 if the hospital continues to struggle, said Mark Hopkins, the authority's executive director. If the hospital is making money based on a formula set by the state, it could pick up the payments as early as the second year and repay the state. The hospital is scheduled to assume the loan no later than 2014, Hopkins said.

The state's share of the payments will come from the state budget, which currently sets aside $2.5 billion to repay debt, Treasury spokesman Tom Bell said.

Isn't Newark one of the 'overbedded' areas?

Can you not almost spit from St. Michael's and hit University Hospital?

In New Jersey, it appears the only 'P' that counts is not 'Principle', but 'Politics'.

Read the story here: "Newark's St. Michael's Medical Center sold".

See the morning print edition here: "Bond deal will keep St. Michael's running".