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Home My WebLink About08-25-09 CC Item 11CITY OF LAI~E ~ LSIIYOl~E DREAM EXTREME„ REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: ROBERT A. BRADY CITY MANAGER DATE: AUGUST 25, 2009 SUBJECT: A LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THE LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER IN THE CITY OF MURRIETA Backqround Councilman Rick Gibbs from the City of Murrieta is requesting support of an effort to notify elected ofFicials of actions proposed in the health care reform process that could jeopardize the opening of the Loma Linda University Medical Center in Murrieta. Discussion Loma Linda University Medical Center is partnering with an investment group of inedical doctors to construct and operate a 203-bed hospital in Murrieta. The $230 million doliar project will bring much needed hospital beds to the region along with thousands of new jobs. Language has been proposed in the Senate Finance Committee in the past that would prohibit or limit physician owned hospitals. A ban on physician owned facilities would have a devastating impact on health care access in our region. Fiscai Impact There would be no fiscal impact to the City. Recommendation It is recommended that the City Council authorize the Mayor to send letters of support to our Senators and Representative in Washington D.C. Prepared and Approved by: Robert A. Brad~ City Manager Attachments: Letter of Request for Support & Sample Letters CC August 25, 2009 item No. 11 Page 1 of 5 CITY OF MURRIETA August 10, 2009 To Whom It May Concern: When Congress returns to session next month, at the forefront of debate will be health care reform. While the City of Murrieta will not take a position regarding these reform efforts, we ask that you join with us to proactively alert our elected officials to any actions that could jeopardize the opening of the new Loma Linda University Medical Center - Murrieta (LLUMGM). Your assistance is urgently needed. Here are the facts: - Loma Linda University Medical Center is partnering with an investment group of inedical physicians to construct and operate a 203-bed hospital in Murrieta. The $230 million project will bring thousands of jobs to the region at no cost to ta7cpayers. - Subject to stringent California regulations, this new hospital is expected to begin operations in early 20ll. - Language has been proposed in the Senate Finance Committee in the past that would bar or severely limit physician owned hospitals. If this were to happen, the consequences would have a devastating impact on health care access in our region. - Our region is in desperate need of hospital beds. On a national basis, three hospital beds per thousand population is an indicator of adequate and available care. Currently, in the United States the average is 2.7 beds per thousand, and in California the rate is 1.9 beds per thousand. Riverside County has 28801icensed beds - a ratio of 1.47 per thousand. The southern region of the county has 637 licensed beds - a ratio of 1.05 per thousand. - Loma Linda's partnership insures a teaching hospital that will be a center of inedical excellence. LLUMC currently operates in a manner consistent with the traditions of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church and those same principals will be the guidelines for the operation of this facility. These ethical principles will insure that the quality of health care delivered and the medical necessity for Medicare and Medicaid services and billings will be handled in a proper manner. Please stand with the City of Murrieta and help us alert our elected officials to legislation that could jeopardize the opening of the new hospital. Attached is a draft letter that we urge you to place on your personal stationary or organization's letterhead and sign in support of the new hospital. We ask that you send letters to both Senators and your local Representative. Please copy the City as well. If you have any questions, please contact me at (310) 729-9140. Regards, Rick Gibbs, City Councilmember City of Murrieta CC August 25, 2009 Item No. 11 1 Town Square, 24601 Jefferson Avenue • Murrieta, California 92562 Page 2 of 5 phone: 951.304.CITY (2489) • fax: 951.698.4509 • web: murrieta.org (Place on letterhead) August 10, 2009 The Honorable Washington, D.C Please see State of California Elected Officials Contact page for address (page 4) Dear Senator/Congressman: (Choose one) As Congress begins the process of drafting a historic reform to health care, the City of Murrieta is concerned over past policy modifications introduced in the Senate Finance Committee to limit new hospitals from opening. These policy attempts would ban or severely limit physician owned and operated medical centers. If this policy were to be implemented, the City of Murrieta, as weil as the entire Southwest Riverside County region, would be greatly impacted. As a result, I would like the opportunity to bring this issue to your attention since legislation could be introduced that would jeopardize the opening of the new Loma Linda University Medical Center - Murrieta (LLUMC-M). Currently, the new LLUMC-M is under construction and is on schedule to open in the first quarter of 2011. The new full-service, state-of-the-art teaching facility will provide the region with over 200 new hospitai beds. On a national basis, three hospital beds per thousand population is considered an indicator of adequate and available care. In the United States the average is 2.7 beds per thousand, and in California the rate is 1.9 beds per thousand. Riverside County has 2,880 licensed beds - a ratio of 1.47 per thousand. The southern region of the county has 637 licensed beds - a ratio of 1.05 per thousand. Our area is in desperate need of this new hospital. At the present time, our region is served by two hospitals, each owned by Southwest Healthcare Systems. These hospitals are now operating under an independent, federaliy approved monitor due to previous infractions. LLUMC-M is being developed by a group of devoted physicians that are investing their own money into this $230 million project. This will be a high-tech teaching facility under the renowned reputation of Loma Linda. Since the Senate Finance Committee has on occasion introduced legislation that would ban or severely limit new physician owned hospitais from opening, we believe it prudent to voice our concerns with you. Our specific request would be that if any such language is included in the upcoming health care reform package, that LLUMC-M be grandfathered in. Health care reform will be at the forefront when Congress returns for session. The impact of pending legislation will affect all Americans. However, the consequences of a ban on physician owned facilities would have a devastating impact on health care access in our region. Therefore, please help us ensure that the new Loma Linda University Medical Center - Murrieta becomes a valued provider of crucial health care services for our area. Sincerely, Name Official capacity CC August 25, 2009 Item No. 11 Page 3 of 5 of wu[hern COMMiJNICATING WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS Tips for Wrfting Elected Officials Communicating with elected officials is a key component of any advocacy endeavor. In general, communication with elected officials can take place via e-mail, fax, mail, telephone, or face-to-face meetings. Unfor[unately, heightened security measures have significantly increased the time it takes for a letter sent by mail to reach a congressional office. Therefore, it is becoming more acceptable for citizens to use e-mails and fases to communicate their concerns. Many offices prefer the use of electronic communications for constituent contact. As a general rule, members of Congress are far more likely to heed your message if you are one of their constituents. Purpose of Your Letter • State your purpose for writing in the first sentence of the letter. • Be clear, be courteous. • Let your legislator know how this issue or pending legislation is affecting the daily lives of his or her constituents. • If appropriate, include personal information about why the issue matters to you ar to your community. • Address only one issue in each letter or e-mail. Addressing Your Correspondence A listing of elected officials is attached. s~Uz u~ k, Tips for Phoning Pour Elected Official Telephone calls are usually taken by a staff inember. Ask to speak with the aid who handles the issue about wluch you wish to comment. Far the issue of health care reform and physician- owned hospitals, ask to speak to the legislative assistant or aide that handles all health related issues. After identifying yourself as a consrituent, tell the aid you would like to leave a brief inessage, such as "Please tell Senator/Representative that I oppose any legislation that would jeopardize the opening of the new Loma Linda University Medical Center - Murrieta." S„ s,a a~ ~x ~ ,3 SR~ x x' Page 4 of 5 STATE OF CALIFORNIA ELECTED OFFICIALS Senator Dianne Feinstein Senator Barbara Boxer Washington, D.C. Office: Washington, D.C. Office: 331 Hart Senate Office Building 112 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Washington, D.C. 20510 Phone: (202) 224-3841 Phone: (202) 224-3553 Fax: (202) 228-3954 Fax: (202) 224-0454 San Francisco Office: San Francisco Office: One Post Street, Suite 245 1700 Montgomery Street, Suite 240 San Francisco, California 94104 San Francisco, California 94111 Phone: (415) 393-0707 Phone: (415) 403-0100 Fas:(415)393-0710 Fax: (202) 224-0454 Req. Marv Bono Mack (CA 45` ) Reu. Darrell Issa (CA 49th) Washington, D.C. Office: Washington, D.C. Office: 104 Cannon House Office Building 2347 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-5330 Phone: (202) 225-3906 Fax: (202) 225-2961 Fax: (202) 225-3303 Patm Springs Office: Vista Office: 1600 E. Florida Ave, Ste 301 1800 Thibodo Road, #310 Hemet, CA 92544 Vista, California 92081 Phone: (951) 658-2312 Phone: (760) 599-5000 Fax: (951) 652-2562 Fax: (760) 599-1178 Ren. Ken Calvert (CA 44th) Rep. Jerrv Lewis (CA 41sfl Washington, D.C. Office: Washington, D.C. Office: 2201 Rayburn House Office Building 2112 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-1986 Phone: (202) 225-5861 Fax: (202) 225-2004 Fax: (202) 225-6498 Riverside Ofrice: Redlands Office: 3400 Central Avenue, Suite 200 1150 Brookside Avenue, Suite J-5 Riverside, CA 92506 Redlands, CA 92373 Phone: (951) 784-4300 Phone: (909) 862-6030 Fax: (951) 784-5255 Governor Arnold Schwarzene¢ger Sacramento Office: State Capitol Building Sacramento, California 95814 Phone: (916) 445-2841 Fax: (916) 445-4633 Riverside Office 3737 Main Street #201 Riverside, CA 92501 Phone: (951) 680-6860 Fax: (951) 680-6863 CC August 25, 2009 Item No. 1 Page 5 of 5