Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Cuts of the Cruelest Kind

Trillions for war and banks, corporations and well-connected interests.... and for the kids?

Related:
No SPARK in Stimulus

Stimulus Helps Poor Hospitals

Not this one:

"Large cuts felt at small clinic for children; Franciscan Hospital sees budget shortfall, layoffs" by Megan Woolhouse, Globe Staff | March 30, 2009

.... Franciscan Hospital for Children's chief executive officer Paul DellaRocco:

"When you're small, losing a million dollars is almost catastrophic."

And when I think of the waste and looting of taxpayer money in this state.... the top of my head explodes and hits the ceiling.

Sometimes referred to as "the other children's hospital," Franciscan has operated largely in the shadow of larger institutions like Boston Children's Hospital or the Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts. Located in Brighton, the small hospital, which has relied on donations and state funding for most of its 60-year history, is now operating with $16 million less in funding this year due to state budget cuts.

Recall the biotech money!! Shelve the tax giveaway to Hollywood.

The 100-bed facility treats children with wide-ranging illnesses, including many who have hard-to-treat diagnoses such as a child who falls into a coma or suffers an incapacitating brain injury, or who is breathing only with the help of a ventilator. Many young patients are from poor families....

Franciscan opened in 1949 when Cardinal Richard J. Cushing asked the Franciscan order of nuns to take on the work. The Kennedy family provided seed money as a memorial to their eldest son, Joseph, who was killed in World War II. Over the past several decades, the hospital has struggled financially, undergone name changes, staff reductions, and drafted new mission statements. And in an era of mergers and takeovers, it has persevered by promoting its niche as the largest pediatric rehabilitation hospital in New England.

In 2006, approximately 1 of 3 patients received government-paid healthcare. The hospital struggles to break even on most patients. This year, the state reduced Franciscan's Medicaid payments, wiping $12 million from the hospital's budget, DellaRocco said. About $4 million in special appropriations or "earmarked" funds was also vetoed by Governor Deval Patrick.

WTF is WRONG with THIS GUY?!

I am SO SICK of the STINK-S*** LIBERAL DEMOCRATS of this state!!!!

Patrick had said at a press conference preceding the veto that he would make the cuts only if the state received additional federal stimulus money for Medicaid and healthcare. State officials said they will receive $764 million in federal stimulus funds for healthcare, but had not decided how all the money would be allocated.

DellaRocco likened the situation to problems at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, which recently announced that it would lay off as many as 140 employees....

--more--"

Also see:
Boston's Best Hospital