HSCMH holds meeting to approve CARES application

The Hospital Board held a special, last-minute meeting to approve an application to the CARES Act Payroll Protection Program. 

Hospital CEO Margie Molitor said in regards to this decision, “Through the COVID legislation that was passed in Congress, the CARES Act, they have a small business payroll protection program. Because basically, healthcare is an example, but any organization that essentially had to stop or reduce their business and they want to keep their good people on the payroll and not lay them off. We want people to keep their salaries and keep their benefits and this program allows us to do that. 

Molitor also provided some details about the program. She said, “It gives you 2.5 times your monthly gross salary, benefits, retirement, utilities if you have any mortgage payments. It gives you that amount of money to cover those expenses during this lean time. It’s lean for everybody and it’s lean for us because we were asked to suspend all of our elective surgeries and elective procedures. We asked all our well patients to not come in because we don’t want them to get sick.”

The COVID-19 situation has also affected the hospital’s business. Molitor said, “We have seen a 60% reduction in our revenue. We certainly do not want to furlough employees because we know if the COVID moves in like it is supposed to we are going to need every hand on deck that we can get. But right now we have a lot of extra people with not a lot to do. So, this would help us keep them on the payroll. So, that’s why we did it.“

The Hospital Board also approved the use of new tracking software from Health Tech. The hospital has a management contract with Health Tech and Molitor is a Health Tech employee. Therefore the Board is required to approve any amendment to that contract. The new software was received at no cost and functions to assist in electronic claims and payments and to track and trend reimbursement on claims. 

Molitor recommends that people stay home, wash their hands and implement social distancing so that we do not spread COVID-19 and keep the people safe, including our elderly.