Bethel

To the editor:

Tuesday’s (August 2, 2021) top story in the Democrat confirmed what I’ve been saying for more than a year now. There is nothing wrong – and everything right – with considering the fiscal status of a long-term care facility when you’re the one operating it.

Garnet Health Medical Center – Catskills CEO Jonathan Schiller put it right out there in “Skilled Nursing Unit in process of shutting down”.

“We’re just not in a position to be able to continue to do it [run the Skilled Nursing Unit (SNU) at the Harris hospital]. One of the learnings we had as a result of the pandemic is that we just can’t continue to use the hospital revenues to make up for the shortfall [at the SNU]...”

If that sounds familiar, it’s because you probably heard me say it about our Care Center at Sunset Lake. Like Garnet, we’ve been losing millions of dollars a year operating our long-term care facility, with no indication that revenues will outpace expenses anytime soon.

So with the consent of the majority of my fellow legislators, I had County staff seriously research leasing the Care Center to a private operator, and our Sunset Lake Local Development Corporation is just about ready to sign an operating contract with Infinite Care Management.

This is not “profits before people,” a cliché that ignores the fact that “the people” – taxpayers and/or facility residents – pay for the care being provided one way or another. It’s about fiscal responsibility, taking into account the cost of the care, not solely the quality or quantity.

We all want top-notch care for our loved ones (and for ourselves, considering one day most of us will be receiving long-term care). But none of us have unlimited budgets, especially organizations like the hospital and County government, which are mandated to provide other, often very costly services. And in the County’s case, we have taxpayers to answer to – all of whom are expecting their elected leaders to run government in a cost-efficient, accountable fashion.

Your Legislature chose early on not to close the Care Center. We wanted to preserve jobs and provide better care for residents. We also wanted to spend tax dollars wisely (still do), and I’m confident that’s exactly what you’ll see in the months to come.