UMC CEO: Children’s relationship with county hospital improving

El Paso County Commissioners received its first major update from the new University Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Jacob Cintron Monday Morning.

Cintron was chosen for the position vacated by Jim Valenti in July. In his report, Cintron said that while work was on pace for major projects like the regional clinics, there are also some budget and cash flow challenges.

Specifically, a presentation from UMC showed that the were about $4 million below its budgeted cash position, sitting now at about $50 million. But Cintron said a big part of that was a $6.7 million transfer to El Paso Children’s Hospital that was not on the budget.

“We did an intergovernmental transfer of about $7 million, $6.7 million, that helped garnish about an additional $22 million for (El Paso) Children’s Hospital though Medicaid. So through that partnership we’re able to, even though we absorb an expense of about $7 million, they gain $22 million,” Cintron said.

As part of settling a bankruptcy dispute between UMC and El Paso Children’s Hospital, EPCH is now under the umbrella of UMC and the county hospital district.

Cintron said that’s why this transfer makes sense. UMC is still supporting EPCH as it works towards greater financial stability, and makes up the difference in their financial shortcomings.

“It’s a program used throughout Texas that it’s able to help us garner more of a match from the federal government to be able to provide care under the Medicaid program. And so in this respect, Children’s is able to reap the benefit,” Cintron said.

Cintron said the recent hirings of specialty surgeons and the expansion of Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, things in general, are looking up for health care in El Paso.

“So I think what you’re starting to see is all the partners starting to work together and to look forward to a joint strategy to really provide better health care for El Paso,” Cintron said.