Hospital exec to Folwell & co.: ‘Burn in Hell!’
This, um, “discussion” over transparency in the state health plan is getting a wee bit overheated. State treasurer Dale Folwell, who has a constitutional mandate to administer the health plan, sees an urgent need to reform it and get costs under control. The state employees association appears to be solidly behind his efforts. But the big hospitals, and the legislators on their payrolls, are not happy.
One big hospital is really demonstrating its unhappiness with Folwell and his efforts with the health plan:
An acrimonious fight between hospital administrators and North Carolina’s state treasurer over a major shift in the state’s health plan has led to a personal attack.
Frank Kauder, the assistant director of finance for Moses Cone Hospital in Greensboro, wrote an email to state leaders, that said in part, “Burn in hell, you sorry SOBs.”
Kauder told WXII 12 News that he wrote that because he’s angry about proposed cuts to the state health plan and said that “politicians need to grow a thick skin.”
The email went on to say that “your plan to cut payments to hospitals could possibly be the most moronic idea I have ever seen come out of state government, and since you retardicians have taken power, and that’s saying a lot.”
The email is dated July 1, the same day Kauder’s boss at Cone Health, Terry Akin, informed staff by email that the hospital would not join the state health plan.
Akin urged staff to contact their state senator or state Treasurer Dale Folwell.
Kauder said in his email that budget cuts to hospitals would hurt some of the most important people in the community — including school teachers — and described how hospitals provide care to the poorest members of the community.
The email also goes on to criticize the treasurer’s political party, the Republicans Party, saying “poor people generally don’t vote for your party, so you want them to die.”
Folwell said his plan mirrors the goals identified in a recent executive order from President Donald Trump on health care that calls for more transparency and lower costs.
So far, none of the major hospitals in the Triad have signed on to the new state health plan, which covers more than 700,000 state workers, teachers and retirees.
Cone Health made the following statement in response to the email sent by its employee:
“This is a personal opinion and Cone Health disagrees with the content and tone of the email. Respectful dialogue is the key to a better health plan for state employees.”
Initially, Kauder told WXII 12 News that the email speaks for itself and he wouldn’t have anything more to say about it.
However, he sent another statement to the station about the email Wednesday afternoon, stating the following:
“I was speaking my own political opinions in that email, independent of my role at Cone Health, where I work as a front-line manager, not a high-ranking executive. I was simply expressing my free speech rights.”
Was he using his official Cone Health email address when he sent that vile message? If he was, he was ON DUTY.
Someone must have a copy of that email.
Respected Rand Corporation published in May a report on hospital actual negotiated prices in twenty four states. Shockingly we in NC pay 30? more than New Yorkers. (Interestingly NY pays about 170% of Medicare charges. Folwell is just trying to get to 182%…even if he succeeded hospitals in NC would get higher $ than N.Y. Hospitals.)
Respected Rand Corporation published in May a report on hospital actual negotiated prices in twenty four states. Shockingly we in NC pay 30? more than New Yorkers. (Interestingly NY pays about 170% of Medicare charges. Folwell is just trying to get to 182%…even if he succeeded hospitals in NC would get higher $ than N.Y. Hospitals.)
There’s plenty of information to show that current hospital charges by the big corps are in the 500 to 600% of Medicare range. Payments after discounts are still 200 to 300% of Medicare. Taxpayers cover most of this cost so hospital execs can drive Names to work.
This will only get worse as more sunlight comes from Mr. Folwell. For example, the Clinton’s passed rules saying
hospital could not turn anyone away. This really helped the companies in the state by using emergency rooms for
first aid and minor issues. Cost were absorbed by hospitals who passed it on to paying or insured patients. Eventually the
costs were added to premiums and guess who—-taxpayers! Blow it wide open Mr. Folwell.
It is annoying that these hospital administrators think it is fine to jack up their charges on state employees, insurers, and paying patients so they can give away their services to deadbeats, many of whom are illegal aliens. Taxpayers and state employees should not be subsidizing health care to illegal aliens.
Dale Folwell is a hero, and any true conservative in the legislature should have his back.
I’m concerned for Dale’s personal safety.
Dale Falwell has help people in this state for years. Go back and look at his record.
What a poor representation of Cone Health! Dale Folwell is shining some light on one of the big problems with healthcare and I admire his tenacity on behalf of the taxpayers! This man shows such a lack of class! I believe he should be terminated, immediately! Keep on Dale, we will keep on voting for you!!