’s
April 29, 2016 edition
The Pulse
Your regular check up on SCKMC activities Share your thoughts, story ideas, and comments by e-mail to claytonp@sckrmc.org.
A Cent Makes Sense A closer look at the SCKMC sales tax initiative – Part 3 Some of the most common questions related to a ten-year, one percent sales tax for SCKMC. The tax will be voted on by the citizens of Arkansas City by mail-in ballot this May. How Much is One Percent? The median household income in Ark City is $37,139 with annual taxable purchases averaging $8,231. One-percent of those taxable purchases is $82 per year, or $6.84 per month. That equates to an increase for the majority of Arkansas City Households of approximately twenty-three cents per day to support healthcare services locally and prevent an increase in property tax. A sales tax is not something hospital officials take lightly. They understand the burden being asked of the community but still feel this would be a fairer solution than a property tax or cutting City services outside of the hospital. Currently 67% of all Kansas hospitals receive local tax support. The current half cent sales tax will end in 2019 and generates between $800,000 – $850,000 each year. The annual hospital bond payment is roughly $1.9 million. The difference is made up from hospital operations, although the City has also loaned the hospital $550,000 within the last year to cover a shortfall in available hospital funds. An additional sales tax, proposed to be a 1% hospital specific tax for ten years, would cover the majority of the bond payment through 2026, providing the hospital more time to develop additional sources of revenue such as physician recruitment and expanded service lines.
SCKMC Accepts Blue Select 65 Beginning May 1st, SCKMC will be an in-network hospital for the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas Plan 65 Select, a supplemental insurance plan for Medicare enrollees. Hospitals that contract on the Select plan have agreed to pay the Medicare Part A deductible for the patient instead of BCBSKS paying that deductible. SCKMC is one of only ten hospitals in the fourteen county south central region that accepts the select plan, with the next closest facility being Sumner Regional Medical Center in Wellington. “We have had numerous requests to add this plan to our group of participating insures, and are happy to provide this to our community,” said Holly Harper, SCKMC’s Chief Financial Officer. Individuals may sign up for the select Plan during their Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas annual open enrollment period.
Hospital Hits the Streets for Tax With mail ballots going out on May 4th, staff and volunteers from SCKMC have been canvasing the City in an attempt to educate the community about the proposed one percent sales tax initiative. Between March first and mid-May representatives from the hospital and the City will have made 24 presentations through public town halls, civic organization meetings, and local gathering spots. “This has been a true grass roots effort to get the right information in front of the voters,” said Clayton Pappan, SCKMC’s Chief Operations Officer. On April 23rd thirty-five volunteers went door-to-door across 74 blocks within the City limits, offering informational flyers and yard signs to roughly 1,300 registered voters. “It was an extremely positive day,” Pappan said. “We had staff members and their families, past patients, and concerned citizens all show up to help us spread the word.” In addition to the face-to-face efforts, a page on the hospital website has been created to provide information about the sales tax, along with a sales tax specific e-mail address (salestax@sckrmc.org) for community questions. There are still a few opportunities for the public to meet with hospital representatives before the ballots are due on May 24th: • Monday, May 2nd 7:00 p.m. - VFW • Thursday, May 5th 10:00 a.m. - Jill Hunter Agency • Friday, May 13th 11:00 a.m. – SCKMC Conference Room (Pictured) Holly Harper, SCKMC’s CFO speaks to the local McDonald’s coffee group about the hospital sales tax.
The Pharm Forum with Homer Mah, D.Ph. Proton pump inhibitors (i.e. Prilosec, Prevacid) help treat heartburn and ulcers by lowering the amount of acid in the stomach. These meds are best taken before meals because your stomach produces acid when eating. A down side to these meds is it can reduce the amount of calcium you absorb if you are over 50, take a high dose, or use it for a year or more. If you take a H2 blocker (i.e. Pepcid, Zantac, Tagmet) in conjunction with a PPI, it is best to take them at different times of the day.
If you are a registered voter who lives within the city limits of Arkansas City, you will receive a mail ballot around May 4. It will ask the following question: Shall the City of Arkansas City be authorized to impose a one-percent (1%) Citywide retailers’ special-purpose sales tax (the “SCKMC Sales Tax”), the proceeds of which will be applied only for payment of debt service previously incurred to construct and equip South Central Kansas Medical Center (“SCKMC”), to commence on October 1, 2016, and expiring ten (10) years after its commencement? If you do not want to see a reduction or elimination of local healthcare services, along with your property taxes increased, please vote YES to this one-cent, 10-year sales tax and return your ballot to the Cowley County Clerk’s Office in Winfield by May 24.
How much is 1%? The median household income in Ark City is $37,139 with annual taxable purchases averaging $8,231. One-percent of those taxable purchases is $82 per year, or $6.84 per month. That equates to an increase for the majority of Arkansas City HOUSEHOLDS of approximately
23¢ A DAY PER FAMILY
Give the Gift of Health Only twenty-three cents per day to support healthcare services locally and prevent an increase in property tax.
Vote to Support Our Local Hospital And to Prevent Higher Property Taxes!
We are 6401 Patterson Parkway, Arkansas City 6401 Patterson Parkway, Arkansas City
www.sckmc.org
(620) 442-2500