RESOLUTION NO. RS2010-1182

A resolution requesting all Tennessee Gubernatorial candidates for the 2010 election cycle to sign a pledge to work to provide the Metropolitan Hospital Authority with the federal Medicaid matching funds the State receives based on Nashville General Hospital’s certified public expenditures.

WHEREAS, Nashville General Hospital, which is operated by the Metropolitan Hospital Authority, is a critical link in the provision of urgent medical care to residents of Nashville and Middle Tennessee; and

WHEREAS, Nashville General Hospital serves as the principal teaching and research facility for Meharry Medical College and is vital to Meharry’s ability to fulfill its national mission of health education and research; and

WHEREAS, Nashville General Hospital’s annual budget of $95 million and payroll of over 700 dedicated employees gives the Hospital an important role in the community’s economy; and

WHEREAS, Nashville General Hospital has historically had to rely on local, state and federal funding to sustain its mission as a teaching and safety net hospital serving indigent patients; and

WHEREAS, reductions in TennCare funding in recent years have adversely affected Nashville General Hospital and threatened its ability to maintain vitally needed services; and

WHEREAS, the State of Tennessee attests to federal Medicaid officials that local subsidies, indigent care, and other uncompensated services provided by Nashville General Hospital together comprise “certified public expenditures (CPE)” that qualify for federal Medicaid reimbursement to the State; and

WHEREAS, certified public expenditures by Nashville General Hospital over the past three years have enabled the State of Tennessee to draw down over $90 million in federal Medicaid match, but the State has returned only $22.3 million to the Hospital; and

WHEREAS, the State has withheld from Nashville General Hospital an average of $20 million annually in federal Medicaid funds earned by the Hospital’s certified public expenditures, thereby increasing the financial burdens on the Hospital and on the taxpayers of Metropolitan Nashville-Davidson County; and

WHEREAS, The Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County has appropriated between $30 and $50 million from general fund revenues annually for the operations of Nashville General Hospital during the same period; and

WHEREAS, it is critical to the survival of Nashville General Hospital that the State of Tennessee return to Nashville General Hospital a level of federal funding commensurate with the amount of certified public expenditures generated by the Hospital and sufficient to ensure the Hospital’s fulfillment of its historic indigent care mission and its function as the teaching hospital for Meharry Medical College; and

WHEREAS, on February 10, 2010, the Shelby County Commission adopted a resolution requesting the gubernatorial candidates to commit to allocate more federal funds for the benefit of The Med; and

WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Council desires to see a commitment from the gubernatorial candidates that they will provide greater financial support to Nashville General Hospital.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:

Section 1. That the Metropolitan County Council hereby requests that all candidates for the office of Governor of the State of Tennessee during the 2010 election cycle sign a pledge, attached hereto as ‘Exhibit A”, to work to provide all federal funding for uncompensated care to Nashville General Hospital earned by the Hospital’s certified public expenditures, which are necessary to ensure its continued financial viability.

Section 2. That the Metropolitan Clerk is directed to mail a copy of this resolution to all such candidates no later than May 1, 2010.

Section3. That the gubernatorial candidates are further requested to return a signed copy of the pledge to the Metropolitan Clerk’s Office no later than May 15, 2010.

Section 4. That this Resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it.

Sponsored by: Emily Evans, Jamie Hollin, Jerry Maynard, Lonnell Matthews, Duane Dominy, Jim Hodge, Parker Toler, Walter Hunt, Sandra Moore, Erica Gilmore, Darren Jernigan, Randy Foster, Bruce Stanley, Edith Taylor Langster, Vivian Wilhoite, Michael Craddock, Eric Crafton, Frank Harrison, Jason Holleman, Carter Todd, Buddy Baker, Robert Duvall, Sam Coleman, Mike Jameson, Erik Cole, Megan Barry