Center for Open Government: Three items UofL Health must address in their report to the General Assembly

This morning the Center for Open Government sent a correspondence to members of the interim Appropriations & Revenue Committee with three items UoL Health must address in their October report to the General Assembly. The text of that email is below:

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Members of interim A&R Committee:

UofL Health is required by HB99 to submit an annual report regarding the status of their taxpayer-backed $35 million KEDFA loan to the interim A&R committee on October 1.

The Bluegrass Institute’s Center for Open Government has been monitoring UofL's acquisition of the Jewish Hospital system. We believe transparency provides the best chance to keep it from joining other expensive public-private mistakes (ex. KY Wired) that eventually saddle taxpayers with the bill.

Here are three items we believe UofL Health must answer for members of the committee and the General Assembly:

1. What role are CARES Act funds playing in the financial bottom line of Jewish Hospital, University Medical Center, UofL Physicians and the system as a whole?

2. How have the $35 million in state funds been used? Will UofL Health provide an accounting for the use of those funds?

3. In a story reported by WDRB, UofL Health officials said "the former KentuckyOne assets are no longer losing money, albeit not making enough to fund capital improvements that are needed." Does that statement still reflect the position of UofL Health? Is UofL Health planning to seek additional state support to fund capital improvements for the former KentuckyOne assets?

Thank you for your attention to this correspondence.