It turns out the Coahoma County Board of Supervisors must wire Curae Health Inc. money a third time to keep Northwest Mississippi Medical Center open.
The county wired Curae $1,239,565 on Nov. 5 from the county’s reserve fund to pay the employees and $954,784.17 on Nov. 19.
To make the Dec. 15 payroll, the county approved wiring $1,097,015.71 on Monday morning, just prior to the deadline. With the three payrolls combined, the county will have wired a total of $3,291,364.88.
Curae Health Inc. declared bankruptcy and Community Health Systems is scheduled to take over the hospital on next Monday, Dec. 10. However, the employees must be paid for this week and there may be a small delay in CHS taking over.
“This, we discussed is actually for two-week payroll,” said board attorney Tom Ross during Monday’s meeting.
“Once again, we have advised them we are reserving all our rights in paying them. That’s what’s required at this point.”
After the explanation, board president Paul Pearson called for a motion.
“Let’s make payroll,” supervisor Will Young replied.
All five supervisors must approve wiring the money, so Johnny Newson, who could not be at the meeting, voted by speaker phone.
The board approved renewing a 30-day emergency declaration for hospital health care later in the meeting. The same measure was approved in November to enable the employees at the hospital to be paid.
Ross said there will be a settlement conference via telephone on Friday with the court in Nashville to finalize everything.
“In the event everything doesn’t get settled by then, they’re holding a final hearing Dec. 13 in Nashville,” Ross said.
After Monday’s meeting, Pearson clarified, no matter what happens, the hospital will not close.
If the settlement is delayed, Curae Health Inc. would just run the hospital for an extra few days.
“That’s what the debate is about right now,” Pearson said. “We may have to go a little bit further.
“I think it’s just one of the creditors. The hospital is never, ever going to close. I ain’t going to say, ‘Read my lips’ like (George H.W.) Bush said. That came back to bite him.”
Pearson also clarified it is also possible the entire $1,097,015.71 will not be needed if things go according to schedule and CHS takes over the hospital next Monday.
“We’re just making sure that we’re doing everything we can do on our end to keep those doors open, to keep those people on the job and to provide health care for the folks,” Pearson said.
“We might not have to spend it. It’s there just in case we have to.”
