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Aurora [Health Care] CEO cites Obamacare as partial cause of job cutbacks
Journal Times ^ | 26 January 2013 | Michael Burke

Posted on 01/27/2013 7:52:43 PM PST by Lorianne

RACINE COUNTY — Partly in response to the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare — as well as other forces — Aurora Health Care expects $13 million less in government reimbursements this year and has begun cutting some positions.

Earlier this month Aurora President and CEO Dr. Nick Turkal laid out the financial situation in a 1,020-word letter to all system employees. He warned of position eliminations and discontinuations to come.

Turkal said there are several causes of the projected $13 million or more decline in reimbursements. He cited the economy, cost reductions dictated by the Affordable Care Act and the congressional “fiscal cliff” agreement.

“We will need to take immediate actions in our 2013 budget to compensate for this loss in revenue,” Turkal wrote.

Actions to reduce fixed costs will be taken this quarter, Turkal wrote. He also added that “you will hear of some position eliminations plus discontinuation of some positions in the coming weeks.”

Aurora spokeswoman Myrle Croasdale said Thursday Aurora has had a hiring freeze for most open positions — mostly in administration — in the past quarter. Public affairs, for example, has lost some positions.

The number of jobs lost will be small in relation to Aurora’s approximately 30,000 employees, Croasdale said. “We anticipate that will be a small number and sprinkled throughout the year.”

But she confirmed both occupied and vacant positions will be cut.

“We don’t want people to be afraid, but things are different,” Croasdale said. “Some positions will be eliminated.”

Aurora is also taking smaller steps, she said, such as keeping appropriate inventory levels of supplies, and encouraging employees to make black-and-white photocopies instead of color whenever possible, because the former costs a fraction of a color copy.

Aurora’s situation could become much more dire, Turkal wrote. He said one proposal under consideration but not yet decided is a 27 percent cut in physician payments for Medicare services. That would cost Aurora roughly $78 million a year.

Also, if congressional inaction leads to “sequestration,” that would lead to automatic budget cuts that would cost Aurora another $23 million, Turkal wrote.

In his summary paragraph, he wrote, “I am as frustrated by this as anyone. While most of these changes were brought on by external forces, it remains our responsibility to figure out how to continue to provide the very best care for our patients and to help them live well.”


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Front Page News; Government; US: Wisconsin
KEYWORDS: democrats; healthcarelayoffs; layoffs; obama; obamacare; obamacarelayoffs

1 posted on 01/27/2013 7:52:53 PM PST by Lorianne
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To: Lorianne
— as well as other forces —

there are no other forces besides Obamacare. This writer goes out of his way to let President Pretentious off the hook, but even the other "forces" he lists (the economy and fiscal cliff agreement) are results of Obamacare.

2 posted on 01/27/2013 8:19:26 PM PST by JohnBrowdie (http://forum.stink-eye.net)
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To: Lorianne

CEO of Aurora - remember to fire Obama supporters first.


3 posted on 01/27/2013 8:36:36 PM PST by freemama
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To: null and void

bump


4 posted on 01/27/2013 8:45:25 PM PST by GeronL (http://asspos.blogspot.com)
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To: GeronL
LoveObamaCare
5 posted on 01/27/2013 8:57:17 PM PST by null and void (Gun confiscation enables tyranny. Don't enable Tyranny)
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To: null and void

lol

There probably are people who think its worth it, sadly


6 posted on 01/27/2013 9:04:26 PM PST by GeronL (http://asspos.blogspot.com)
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To: JohnBrowdie

Welcome to the UK, where overworked, angry and resentful healthcare employees take out their frustrations and anger on patients by giving shoddy and grudging treatment. In some Eastern European countries, I hear a family member must be present in a hospital with their loved one at all times for fear of what will happen if one is left alone. Doctors and nurses must be bribed with cash at the bedside for every item of service and care- bringing meals, giving meds, changing IV’s, etc... Doesn’t that sound fun?


7 posted on 01/28/2013 5:43:48 AM PST by usmom
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To: usmom
Welcome to the UK, where overworked, angry and resentful healthcare employees take out their frustrations and anger on patients by giving shoddy and grudging treatment. In some Eastern European countries, I hear a family member must be present in a hospital with their loved one at all times for fear of what will happen if one is left alone. Doctors and nurses must be bribed with cash at the bedside for every item of service and care- bringing meals, giving meds, changing IV’s, etc... Doesn’t that sound fun?

we've got the same thing here. we call it the DMV (or the post office) . . .

8 posted on 01/28/2013 7:02:36 AM PST by JohnBrowdie (http://forum.stink-eye.net)
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