By Shannon McFarlin News Director
Paris, Tenn.–The pending closure of the Henry County Medical Center obstetrics department took center stage at Monday night’s Henry County Commission meeting, with an update from Hospital CEO John Tucker before a full house of interested citizens.
Unless something changes at the state level, plans for the OB to close “on or about September 1” will go forward, Tucker said.
“I’m not overly optimistic”, he said. “But I am hopeful”.
Tucker and County Mayor John Penn Ridgeway said that the state of Tennessee is in a healthcare crisis. Tucker said, “Tennessee has had more rural hospitals close than any other state—with the exception of Texas—because we didn’t expand Medicaid.”
Tucker said employment packages are being formulated for OB staff “so staff can stay in place”.
Both State Rep. Tandy Darby and State Sen. John Stevens have been working on the problem and “both think we’ll hear from TennCare by the end of the month, but Bluecare has not responded. I fully expect the State Legislature to take a deeper dive into this issue in the future, but I don’t expect Medicaid expansion.”
Tucker has previously noted that HCMC has not received TennCare rate increases in years even though Tenncare is the reimbursement source for 70 percent of the hospital’s deliveries.
In an effort to “salvage the OB service here”, Tucker said, HCMC has already requested large rate improvements from its largest TennCare carrier.
“Patient volumes will need to return to 2019-era levels to remain viable,” Tucker said, noting that TennCare has not yet replied to the rate increase requests.
Tucker said, “I just don’t see a path forward unless there is a significant rate improvement”.
The problem is widespread among rural hospitals, he said, and does not mean that something ‘nefarious’ was happening at HCMC in the past.
Commissioner Patrick Burns said, “You don’t know that”, to which Tucker replied, “Yes, I do know that.”
Earlier in the discussion, Commissioner Ralph Wiles asked Tucker and Ridgeway why Braden Health hasn’t been consulted. Braden Health is in the business of acquiring rural hospitals and is in the process of acquiring at least four in West Tennessee.
Ridgeway said he has recently been on the phone with the County Mayors in Houston and Haywood Counties who are “already having issues” with Braden Health and there would be no reason for Henry County to go down the same road by seeking help from the Braden Health firm.
Tucker went even further, calling Braden Health “a bunch of clowns. And you can quote me on that.”
During the public forum segment of the meeting, Dr. Pam Evans, a long-time obstetrician at the hospital, made an impassioned plea for public support of saving the OB department. “This is a systemic problem. If they would just level up to where it should be, the problem would be solves. But the system is broken and our hospital is a victim.”
Susan Jones, spokesperson for Northwest Tennessee Cares, a grassroots organization initiated by concerned local citizens who have organized to save the OB department, said the group is ‘passionate’ about the issue because “We love our hospital and our mothers and babies”.
The organization is a chartered 501c non-profit group which has a growing list of volunteers. The organization is talking to legislators, writing and emailing legislators, placing rocal radio public service announcements, placing yard signs and more and has a website at www.nwtncares.org for people who want to help.
“The ball is still very much in play, ladies and gentlemen,” she said. “We are remaining positive.”
David Allsup of Buchanan said the main problem is that “our business model (at the hospital) is a socialist model. 70 percent of the people don’t pay for services and that’s the problem.”
Also during his hospital update, Tucker said the Surgery Center project is underway, physicians are still being recruited, Emergency Room improvements are underway, including physician, provider and leadership changes, the $4M line of credit will be signed for on Tuesday, and a new CFO is coming onboard soon and he has ‘decades’ of experience with rural hospitals.
Tucker said recruiting has become problemmatic with the ongoing ‘drama’ at the hospital.
In other business during Monday’s busy meeting:
—The commission approved purchase of property on Hwy. 79S from the JR Hayes Family Partners for the new Henry County Health Department for $265,000.
— Approved was a combined property tax rate for Henry County for the Fiscal Year beginning July 1, 2023, of One Dollar and .8933/100 ($1.8933) on each $100.00 of taxable property.
–Approved second and final reading of the budget for Fiscal 2023-2024 which shows a total county general fund of $10385,935.
–The Commission approved bonds for county officials: Assessor of Property, Charles Van Dyke; Chancery Court Clerk & Master/Probate Court, Albert Wade; Circuit/General Sessions/Juvenile Clerk, Mike Wilson; County Clerk, Donna Craig; County Medical Examiner, Dr. Scott Portis; County Mayor, John Penn Ridgeway; County Road Commission; County Highway Superintendent, Richie Chilcutt; Chief Financial Officer, Pat Hollingsworth; Register of Deeds, Pam Martin; Sheriff, Josh Frey; Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Leah Watkins; County Trustee, Randi French, to the extent of $400,000, as well as all other public officials and employees.
—The Commission approved a formal public comment policy.
—The Commission approved the sale of six delinquent tax properties.
Photo: Hospital CEO John Tucker addresses the commission. Shannon McFarlin photo.