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4/9/2010
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$1.50/APRIL 12 - 18, 2010
Vol. 31, No. 15
STREET EATS New generation of food carts rolls into Cleveland as city clears path for mobile vendors to operate
Health care providers plan for transition Hospitals, other practices mull operational changes as reform implications take hold
By JAY MILLER jmiller@crain.com
H
ave you ever been walking around at lunch time and had a hankering for Himalayan rice and seared tuna? Or maybe a plate of dim sum? Or maybe a simple vegetarian soup? Well, you may be able to sample those varied cuisines and more beginning this summer on the streets of Cleveland. Cleveland City Council passed legislation last month that clears the way for a new generation of curbside food vendors. In a See FOOD Page 13
By SHANNON MORTLAND smortland@crain.com
Although the crowds of newly insured patients aren’t coming through the doors just yet, local health care providers are wondering how they will handle the onslaught of patients, as well as a multitude of other changes that are coming as a result of the health care reform bill. Among the issues providers are grappling with are how changes in the Medicare and Medicaid payment structures will affect them, how they will provide enough community benefit to maintain their tax-exempt status and how they can reduce costs while preserving high quality
standards. “Obviously this bill is going to have a major impact on all facets of the hospital,” said Heidi Gartland, the vice president for government relations at University Hospitals. “We’re definitely preparing ourselves to decipher which programs we’re going to participate in.” One of the biggest concerns for hospitals is the decrease in reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid, said John Corlett, vice president of government relations and community affairs for the MetroHealth System. Hospitals with a large proportion of uncompensated care now receive See REFORM Page 21
Lenders more amenable to altering manufacturer loans Banks don’t want to be stuck with ‘illiquid’ assets By DAN SHINGLER dshingler@crain.com
There’s never a good time to default on your bank loan, but for many manufacturers now might be a better time than most when it comes to convincing a lender to renegotiate terms on loans teetering on default. That’s because the assets a bank would seize in a foreclosure — namely a manufacturer’s plant and equipment — aren’t easily sold in today’s depressed market. So, experts say,
faced with the prospect of either renegotiating a loan or taking ownership of assets destined to be sold at a loss, many banks are more willing to work with borrowers than they might be in better economic times. “The logic is obvious … you’re dealing with a bank that doesn’t want to own the property,” said Jean Robertson, chair of the business restructuring and bankruptcy practice at Cleveland’s Calfee Halter & Griswold law firm. See LOANS Page 9
INSIDE Watch for this new banking technology
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Some banks such as PNC, Key, Fifth Third and Huntington are using drivethrough video screens to improve the customer service experience. The setups eliminate the need for a window at the teller lines and enable the banks to have more flexibility with interior design. Read Arielle Kass’ story on Page 5.
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SPECIAL SECTION
SMALL BUSINESS Community programs tout benefits of buying from locally owned stores ■ Page 15 PLUS: HIRING ■ TAX TIPS ■ ADVISER ■ & MORE
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