Citizens React to Possible Closing of North Georgia Medical Center
News January 25, 2016
A bomb is exactly what citizens are calling this information that they say came out of nowhere. With continuing questions of what this means to Gilmer County, FYN sat down with Executive Director of the Greater Gilmer JDA (Joint Development Authority), Chuck Scragg in an interview Wednesday.
As Directo
r Scragg said, the impact of that information and the potential loss to Gilmer County could be quite substantial as losing a $31,000,000 business, which the hospital as a whole contributes to the county, would be a large impediment on the economy, stating, “in 2006 there were 9,035 jobs in Gilmer County, right now, today, there are 7,200 jobs.” Losing a business is losing jobs.
In a county that is still not recovering from the recession, it will be much harder to entice companies to join and move into Gilmer county with no inpatient care services. Director Scragg said when people visit for business scouting, after seeing potential sites, there are always three things they ask to see in the county; Schools, Downtown Area, and Healthcare Facilities.
While FYN has learned of a non-disclosure agreement covering the leasing or closing of the Medical Center, FYN has continued requesting comments from Piedmont Mountainside about the Transition and Services they would provide for Gilmer County considering there is a deadline of January 27 to contest the issue and the filing of a Request for Determination.
Citizens and employees of the Medical Center both are commenting and responding to this information saying “there are employees there that depend on their job to support their family” and many saying this is the first they have heard of the possible closing. With this being the first information they have received, many are still questioning why they were not informed earlier with the deadline only a week away?
House Speaker David Ralston’s office also released the following statement concerning the hospital via Kaleb McMichen, Spokesman.
Under President Obama’s administration, actions at the federal level have driven up the costs of healthcare including deductibles and premiums of commercial health insurance policies as well as the state’s portion of Medicaid spending. Unfortunately, many hospitals and doctors across Georgia, particularly those in rural areas, are struggling to cope with these changing financial realities.
As recently as last week, Speaker Ralston has said time and again that maintaining access to high-quality healthcare for Georgia’s citizens is a priority. He remains engaged with stakeholders and is working with them to find the best of available solutions to preserve access to hospital care in Gilmer County.
According to Director Scragg, the Greater Gilmer JDA will be having a Special Called Meeting on Monday morning at 9:00am at the Gilmer Chamber. We at FYN have also received the Agenda for this meeting, one of the major items on the agenda being ‘Review & Action on Hospital DET.’ This is an open meeting for citizens to sit in to listen and participate in a Citizens Wishing to Speak Section.
Listen to the full interview with Executive Director Chuck Scragg below:
https://youtu.be/KZueivb0lZg
3 Comments
If Nathan Deal would expand Medicaid under the ACA, this would NOT be happening. We can’t afford to pay for this health care, so we die instead. meanwhile, the only (totally worthless) hospital in the county goes broke. If more people had coverage, this wouldn’t happen. Meanwhile, every objective study shows that health care costs in states with expanded Medicaid have gone down, NOT up. So, stop listening to these lies. this hospital is going broke because its CEO robbed it blind and other incompetence and greed, NOT because of the ACA.
The ObamaCare insurance I have had for the past two years is NOT accepted at any Piedmont hospital or affiliated offices. That has been one of the first questions asked when I have tried to schedule appointments with medical practices,, “Is this ObamaCare?”
This will be a huge impact for all those who have an ObamaCare plan if they can no longer seek ER care in Gilmer or Pickens. I hope this is part of the discussion taking place. I am FINALLY getting coverage that is NOT affiliated with ObamaCare, and I now get to see my former physicians I was denied when I came under ObamaCare.
It serves them right. It is a terribly ran hospital. I have had to go there twice since living in Gilmer County, both times have been a horrible experience. I would rather die on the way to Jasper than be taking to Ellijay.