Chabert cash injection in the works

Heavenly Voices: Choir celebrates milestone with free concert
November 28, 2012
Early voting under way
November 28, 2012
Heavenly Voices: Choir celebrates milestone with free concert
November 28, 2012
Early voting under way
November 28, 2012

Leonard J. Chabert Medical Center may receive a reprieve from slashing $14.3 million from its budget, shutting down key services and cutting 245 jobs.


In a coordinated effort backed by Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph and Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet, a $3 million injection could keep current Chabert operations running while the hospital works out a pending public-private partnership with undisclosed sources.


In the arrangement that still requires approval from both parish councils during December, Lafourche Parish would provide $1 million and Terrebonne another $2 million to keep the charity hospital from making scheduled cuts on January 1, 2013.

“Talks about that money have been held at another level,” Chabert CEO Rhonda Green said Monday afternoon. “If this comes to fruition we will not have to do any cuts or layoffs until July 1, 2013.”


Claudet said if approved by council members, the $2 million from Terrebonne Parish could be appropriated from a voter-approved 1.66 millage renewal for expansion of the Terrebonne Parish Health Unit. The project can still be bonded, according to the parish president, and constructed at a future date. “We have a need to provide for the health of the poor and needy of our community and these are funds we could utilize for just such an instance,” he said.


The proposed funds for Chabert have not yet been placed on a Terrebonne Parish Council agenda.

Lafourche Parish Council Chairman Joe Fertitta was expected to introduce an ordinance to donate $1 million of parish royalty funds to Chabert Medical Center to help offset the cuts. Because of the parish’s rules for advertising ordinances, a vote on the measure can’t be held until the next council meeting on Dec. 11.


Fertitta acknowledged that Lafourche could not at this point pledge future appropriations, but said the proposed deal was driven by a need to help the needy, offset an increased burden on other area hospitals and help the local economy overall.


“Our needy and uninsured people need somewhere to go,” Fertitta said. “We’re just trying to support our local charity hospital. … It takes the burden off of our local hospitals. It’s not just something for Terrebonne. It’s something for the whole local economy.”

State Sen. Norby Chabert, R-Houma, has worked behind the scenes to help facilitate the deal and said the one-time infusion was necessary to keep the hospital in a position to strike a public-private partnership that would in theory help alleviate long-term concerns.


“Had nothing been done … the possibility for a long-term fix would have been virtually non-existent,” Chabert said. “To do nothing was not an option for us.”


Chabert said the future of public health care funding would be addressed in the upcoming legislative session.

The news that a local-government deal is in place came on the heels of an Associated Press report that says lawmakers have learned the projected state budget shortfall for next year is $963 million. The natural economy could improve that figure, Chabert said, and one option on the table to generate revenue without raising tax rates is the review and possible deletion of “tax loopholes that exist in this state,” he added.

“I have not heard anything about this proposal yet, but don’t have any problem with it,” Terrebonne Parish Council Chairwoman Arlanda Williams said Monday evening. “That helps a lot of people in this parish. I definitely would be on board to support it.”

State Rep. Dee Richard, a Thibodaux independent, said he has not had any input regarding a deal between Lafourche, Terrebonne and Chabert Medical Center and was not aware its framework was in place.

The lawmaker said he did not like the idea of individual public health care providers striking deals with local government.

“You don’t know what kind of deals are being made,” Richard said. “I would rather see the system survive statewide. … Can they keep coming up this money every year? It’s a piecemeal deal. That’s what I worry about.”

Richard commended Chabert for his work to save the charity hospital that bears his father’s name. “I just wish it would be done more with all of us involved,” Richard said.

Richard led an effort in October calling for a special legislative session after the latest round of state budget cuts impacting the LSU Health Care System had been announced. That attempt failed when supporting lawmakers were unable to gather enough signatures from their colleagues.

“Chabert has had substantial savings [during 2012] at the tune of $5 million and they are supposed to be getting money from other sources as well,” Claudet said. “Remember that money multiplies many times because of Medicaid matches.”

Green said by remaining whole during the next seven months, chances are better for Chabert to achieve its operational goals. “We might not be as appealing if we were dismantled,” she said. “The public-private option is still being talked about at the Department of Health and Hospitals level, and I should know something about it very soon.”

“In the future it may not be Chabert as a LSU charity hospital, but it will be some type of facility that will make the community proud,” Claudet said. “If people are more concerned about a big shiny new [health unit] building or keeping a hospital in our area that provides for the poor, needy and underserved and maintains 245 jobs … I mean, which would you do?”

Support offered by local government bodies could rescue Leonard J. Chabert Medical Center from detrimental state budget cuts.

FILE PHOTO