CITY OF HOMER

HOMER, ALASKA

Mayor

RESOLUTION 08-54

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF HOMER, ALASKA, REQUESTING OUR LEGISLATORS AND GOVERNOR IMPLORE STATE SURVEYORS TO PERFORM AN IMMEDIATE CRITICAL ACCESS HOSPITAL INSPECTION FOR SOUTH PENINSULA HOSPITAL.

WHEREAS, South Peninsula Hospital serves the citizens of the southern Kenai Peninsula and struggles with the need to provide excellent community health care while remaining sufficiently financially viable; and

WHEREAS, Critical Access Hospital Status is a method by which South Peninsula Hospital may cover the cost of providing care to Medicare and Medicaid patients; and

WHEREAS, South Peninsula Hospital applied for the Critical Access Hospital Status in 2007 and in August of 2007 the State of Alaska approved Critical Access Hospital Status for South Peninsula Hospital; and

WHEREAS, An unannounced inspection of the facility must be conducted by the State of Alaska Health and Social Services Department prior to allowing South Peninsula Hospital to begin reimbursement under Critical Access Hospital Status; and

WHEREAS, The Health and Social Services Department has not been adequately staffed with inspectors to perform the inspection in a timely matter and has informed the South Peninsula Hospital the required inspection will not be conducted for at least four months; and

WHEREAS, Additional income from the Critical Access Hospital Status may mean the difference between generating and not generating sufficient revenue to cover operations; and

WHEREAS, South Peninsula Hospital needs relief from this situation in an expedited manner to prevent extra costs for Service Area taxpayers and citizens. 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of Homer, Alaska, requests that our Legislators and Governor implore State surveyors to perform an immediate Critical Access Hospital inspection for South Peninsula Hospital.

           PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Homer City Council this 14^th day of April, 2008.

CITY OF HOMER

                                                                                     _____________________________

                                                                                    JAMES C. HORNADAY, MAYOR

ATTEST:

______________________________

JO JOHNSON, CMC, CITY CLERK 

Fiscal Note: N/A