OMC commissioners to hear tax levy increase proposal
May 14th, 2008 - 7:42am
(Port Angeles) -- Olympic Medical Center commissioners will hear about a possible tax levy increase tonight.
In a special meeting, OMC chief executive officer Eric Lewis will outline the reasons why the hospital district may have to ask voters for more tax help.
The exact rate hasn't been released yet, but OMC currently collects eleven cents per thousand dollars of valuation on property in the district. State law allows hospital districts to collect 75 cents per thousand.
OMC's current levy brings in just over 825-thousand dollars of its annual budget of 119 million dollars.
Lewis says OMC has faced dwindling medicare reimbursement rates that have eaten away at reserves as the number of medicare and medicaid patients using OMC climbs.
He also points to a steep climb in the amount amount of charity care OMC must absorb each year due to uninsured and underinsured patients and those who do not have a primary care doctor.
Lewis also says the unexpected pullout of Virginia Mason's clinic in Port Angeles and OMC's subsequent absorption of the operation has affected the budget.
OMC commissioners are expected to vote on a levy package to send to voters next week. It most likely would appear on the August 19th primary ballot.
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