UMC unveils yearly audit; debt from Children’s Hospital continues to grow

The debt from El Paso Children’s Hospital to the county hospital district continues to grow.

County commissioners are pushing for a resolution as University Medical Center updated its yearly audit Monday.

UMC now says that it’s costing $33,000 a day in services provided to El Paso Children’s.

That includes food, supplies, utilities and salaries to do all of that, all paid for directly by UMC.

With El Paso Children’s making no payments since February 2014, commissioners are pushing for answers and solutions to the situation.

Commissioner Carlos Leon questioned what other money is also owed to UMC for things like rent. UMC staff says that’s coming in at about $26 million total in unpaid rent, with an additional $4 million for medical equipment, and $5 million for IT equipment.

The difference: these aren’t actually costing UMC money to provide right now, so called soft dollars. But the daily tally of $33,000 is coming directly out of UMC’S budget, as hard dollars.

UMC staff said they’re working with El Paso Children’s to reach a solution.

“So as soon as the two organizations can come to agreement on how we’re going to move forward to address hard costs, soft costs, we’ll all benefit,” said UMC spokesman Ryan Mielke.

But commissioners are voicing their concerns about how much longer that might take.

“What is our definition of timely or short, because this has been going on for a very long time,” said Andrew Haggerty, commissioner precinct 4. “I would like to see us put something in motion to help make sure a resolution happens, if we have the authority to do that. Because it’s getting insane.”

Five people were recently laid of from El Paso Children’s. Mielke said that he couldn’t comment on what that hospital is doing internally or to control costs on their end. He said that the board meetings and negotiations are ongoing, but couldn’t offer any details.