Southeast Arizona Medical Center (SAMC) filed for bankruptcy on Feb. 8.
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Chapter 11 is a chapter of the United States' Bankruptcy Code, which permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States.
The CEO and Jim Riley, president of Community Healthcare of Douglas, informed the employees of the filing Friday morning.
“The employees who have been with us for a while didn’t seem to be worried,” Benson said.
According to Benson they have been through this before in 2000 and they survived.
“There will be no changes,” she said. “We will continue to service our patients as we always have.”
There currently are no plans for layoffs or cutting hours. They will not fill any positions if they become available unless they are significant positions.
Sierra Vista Regional Health Center (SVRHC) will continue to help SAMC during the next 90 days until a new company is chosen to operate the facility.
SVRHC has loaned SAMC over $1 million, Benson added. The new company that comes in to operate the hospital will have repay those funds back to SVRHC.
SAMC applied for Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System’s Safety Net Care Pool on Oct. 2. On Nov. 27 AHCCS had approved the application and had submitted it to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for further review. As of Feb. 8 CMS has not approved or denied SAMC’s application.
Benson said “the bankruptcy will not effect if the state accepts their application.”
The Arizona Health Facility Authority provided SAMC with a grant in the amount of $25,000 to pay for a consultant that came to the hospital in January.
“He recommended the new computer billing system that we have and he also felt the aquatics program we would like to start would be a good way bring in revenue,” Benson said.
Benson also believes the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act also known as the Obamacare will have a positive impact on the hospital.
When asked what her short term goals for the hospital were Benson said “getting through the next 90 days and having someone come in here and help us get back on our feet.”
Benson added she would still would like to have a hospital built in Douglas.
“Having a hospital built in Douglas has always been my long term goal,” she said.







Comments
56RRB wrote on Feb 28, 2013 11:14 AM:
Martin D. wrote on Feb 27, 2013 1:01 PM:
22 School Districts
17 Fire Departments
12 Water and Flood Control
2 Hospital (Willcox & Benson)
2 Capital Improvement
1 Park
1 Library
I hope that "Cucos Nest" know knows what a special tax district is and how it might help solve the problem with the hospital here in Dougals. "
JR54 wrote on Feb 26, 2013 8:29 AM:
Tony romas wrote on Feb 25, 2013 8:11 AM:
Old timer wrote on Feb 22, 2013 10:39 AM:
Cucos Nest wrote on Feb 22, 2013 8:41 AM:
Refugio M. wrote on Feb 21, 2013 4:45 PM:
Hector wrote on Feb 21, 2013 3:05 PM:
chimichanga wrote on Feb 21, 2013 11:21 AM:
Fam. Rodriguez wrote on Feb 20, 2013 3:38 PM:
Why-not wrote on Feb 20, 2013 11:26 AM:
You obliviously don’t know the difference between an Urgent Care facility and a Hospital! So when you have a Heart Attack, Stroke or your family get in an Automobile accident with life-threatening conditions I want to see you thank Dr. Romo for all he has done for you!!
To Outsider:
You are correct on one thing and one thing only, our community does deserve a hospital! But after reading what you had to say about the staff, that only tells me that they made a great decision to get rid of you as employee. I have to agree with Ex-Employee, the current staff is struggling with what Bickel and his previous staff which would include “outsider” to do their best with what little resources they got. Criticizing the current staff has nothing to do with past management and financial issues that our hospital is in at this time. All this negative vibe to our hospital staff just show how resentful “outsider” is about losing their job. I hope that our Hospital could get back on their feet and give the Douglas community what we need for our care. Thank you to all the hospital employees for doing an awesome job! "
J. Montrose wrote on Feb 19, 2013 8:30 AM:
ex-employee wrote on Feb 17, 2013 7:59 PM:
Veteran..... wrote on Feb 16, 2013 9:30 PM:
DLC wrote on Feb 15, 2013 5:59 PM:
chimichanga wrote on Feb 15, 2013 5:53 PM:
Jose Luis wrote on Feb 15, 2013 10:54 AM:
John wrote on Feb 15, 2013 8:49 AM:
DC wrote on Feb 14, 2013 2:04 PM:
Outsider wrote on Feb 14, 2013 12:14 PM:
tucsonan wrote on Feb 14, 2013 2:40 AM:
Rafael Q. wrote on Feb 13, 2013 5:10 PM: