Westside Hospital Expected to Seek Bankruptcy Protection(70 CA hospitals have closed in 11 yrs.)

Los Angeles Times ^ | October 20, 2007 | Daniel Costello

[kellynla]

Brotman Medical Center, a key healthcare provider serving Los Angeles' Westside, is expected to seek protection from creditors in Bankruptcy Court as early as next week, according to three executives familiar with the matter.

Administrators at the 420-bed hospital in Culver City have tried for months to avoid filing a bankruptcy petition but have continued struggling to pay its growing debt.

Brotman became the center of a firestorm last month when state health inspectors released a report finding that doctors and nurses failed to provide proper care to a mentally disabled woman, who died after a series of medical mistakes.

The medical center is expected to file under bankruptcy provisions that will give management more time to fix its financial problems.

Since 1996, more than 70 community hospitals have closed across the state, with a disproportionate share -- more than 50 -- in Southern California. Regionally, 14 emergency rooms have closed in the last five years, including 10 in Los Angeles County.

[kellynla]

"Since 1996, more than 70 community hospitals have closed across the state, with a disproportionate share -- more than 50 -- in Southern California. Regionally, 14 emergency rooms have closed in the last five years, including 10 in Los Angeles County?"

And does anyone know why? Anyone...Ferris? That's right! Because illegals continue to receive medical care and do not pay for it! And we can all thank GWB for refusing to enforce the immigration laws, refusing to fine employers who hire illegals and refusing to secure BOTH borders. We can only hope & pray that the Gelding Old Party gets a testicle & spine implant before next year and nominates a true blue conservative next time for POTUS.

"America is not at war. The Marine Corps is at war; America is at the mall."

[kellynla]

ping

[TLI]

Brotman opened more than 75 years ago as an eight-bed clinic and has grown into one of the largest hospitals in the Southland. In recent years, however, it has struggled with rising costs and lower revenue. Its losses soared from $268,000 in 2001 to nearly $15 million in 2005, when Tenet Healthcare Corp. sold it to local investors.

Gee. What could have happened just after 2001 to make losses go up, what, 6,000 per cent?

[radar101]

The TIMES would rather have a right hand chopped off than write the phrase “Illegal Immigrant” and they would rather go into convulsions on broken glass that write “Illegal Alien”.
That is your true door-closer on these hospitals.

[Brilliant]

Too many illegals and not enough doctors.

[DoughtyOne]

While Senior Buuuuuush fiddles... Rome burns.

I’ve decided to recognize Mexico City as our new seat of government. Lord knows this President and Congress don’t represent us any longer, and Mexico is directing U.S. policy now, so why shouldn’t I?

[nyyankeefan]

Westside Hospital Expected to Seek Bankruptcy Protection(70 CA hospitals have closed in 11 yrs.)....

muchas gracias....el presidente jorge boosh!!!!

[cgbg]

What could have happened just after 2001 to make losses go up, what, 6,000 per cent?

The Board of Trustees should file a lawsuit against the Government of Mexico.

Triple damanges would be nice--payment in oil would be acceptable.

:-)

[seemoAR]

How about our government using illegals to bankrupt our hospitals so they can take total control? Nothing happens in this once free nation without a reason.

[mefistofelerevised]

SoCA ping. (south of California)50 of 70 hospitals closing in SoCA. por que?

[verity]

"And we can all thank GWB..."

Nonsense. California needs to do a better job in managing its own affairs.

[mirkwood]

“Nonsense. California needs to do a better job in managing its own affairs.”

I submit this for Stupidest Quote Of The Week.

[CPOSharky]

Hospitals bankrupt.

New law to reduce CO2 by 25% means no new concrete construction.

No power from coal plants means double power power prices.

Bigger deficit means more taxes.

More taxes drive away business and people.

California will soon be a turd world country populated only by (PC ON) unemployed undocumented welfare recipients.(PC OFF)

[Fairview]

I submit this for Stupidest Quote Of The Week.

I second the motion.

[Fairview]

You didn't read your own post. The operative expression in that politically-correct article from the LA Times is "Growing numbers of uninsured." That's a nice way of saying "illegal aliens." Hospitals are absolutely overwhelmed by the costs of taking care of illegals for whom they receive no reimbursement. One Mexican girl with a premature baby can cost the hospital half a million bucks. They are required by law to deliver her baby, and then they may be stuck with providing care for the neonate because no other hospital in the area is stupid enough to accept the transfer. Believe me, this is the least of it. The best management in the world could not cope with this financial hemorrhage.

[Fairview]

Putz.

Well, there's a sophisticated, well-thought-out argument. With your brilliant one-word refutation of the facts and arguments we present, the forum sees clearly that you are capable of an elegant and closely-reasoned defense of your position. Thank you for enlightening us all.< /sarcasm>

[Veggie Todd]

Putz.

Go read some of his other comments. He likes to call people names and tell them how uninformed they are. He's one of those people that believes he's the smartest guy in the room and only tolerates us little people. LOL

[socialismisinsidious]

And the problem is: all the loony liberals who made CA a “turd world country” will move and implement the same stupid ideas some place else. Liberals never figure out what they are doing is stupid they just think they need to do more of it.