Health District 2019 Budget and Levy: Done!

— by Susan McBain, Orcas Issues reporter —

The public hearings on the Orcas Island Health Care District (OIHCD) 2019 budget and levy concluded on Tuesday with hardly any comments, other than those from several people expressing congratulations to the commissioners for a job well done.

The approved version of the budget showed planned 2019 total income of $1,919,057 and planned expenses of $1,542,113. Line-item notes gave details on how each line item was calculated. The ending cash of $376,962 will be used to pay first-quarter expenses in 2020, including $50,000 to be set aside for reserves. The levy rate will be $0.65 per $1000 of assessed property value.

The regular OIHCD meeting following the two hearings covered the ongoing issues that the commissioners will focus on into 2019. They discussed final details of the Contract Services Agreement with Orcas Family Health Center (OFHC) for 2019. Work on a similar agreement with the Orcas UW Neighborhood Clinic (UWNC) is continuing; in the meantime, UWNC has signed an Interim Funding Agreement with the District for the rest of this year.

Commissioners Diane Boteler and Art Lange have completed their discussions with OFHC to define protocols for after-hours care at that clinic. They will be talking with both clinics to establish protocols for working with EMS as well.

Boteler and Lange will also represent the District in the ongoing discussions with UWNC of after-hours care; UWNC representatives will be Mark Bresnick, associate director of operations for UWNC’s North Region, and Dr. Matt Jaffy, assistant medical director of the Region. The group’s objective is to define the goals of UWNC’s proposed project to study medical care in other rural regions. Lange noted that he has already contacted more than 40 entities in areas without access to emergency rooms or walk-in clinics after hours, including tribes, clinics, and rural health associations. All of them stated that they provide after-hours coverage and access to a provider for everyone in their communities. Several commissioners have questioned the need for the proposed study.

The District is now the proud owner of the clinic building in which UWNC is operating; the sale of the building by the Orcas Medical Foundation closed last week. The best approach to insurance is still in discussion.

The next meeting will be Tuesday, November 13, at a different time and location: 3-5 p.m. at the Orcas Library.